Today's Edition
Washington (AFP)
US President Donald Trump prepared on Friday to sign his flagship tax and spending bill in a pomp-laden Independence Day ceremony featuring fireworks and a flypast by stealth bombers.
Trump pushed Republican lawmakers to get his unpopular "One Big Beautiful Bill" through a reluctant Congress in time for him to sign it into law on the US national holiday -- and they did so with a day to spare on Thursday.
Trump will now meld a victory lap over the bill -- which cements his radical second term agenda -- with a grand party at the White House marking 249 years of independence from Britain.
Trump announced a signing ceremony at the White House for 4:00 pm (2000 GMT)and said pilots who carried out the bombing on Iran were among those who had been invited.
Looking jubilant at a rally Thursday in Iowa after the bill passed, Trump said "the age of America is upon us. This is a golden age."
The bill, which includes massive new funding for Trump's migrant deportation drive, is the latest in a series of big political wins at home and abroad for the 79-year-old tycoon, and underscores his dominance over both the Republican Party and US politics at large, for now.
His administration has meanwhile glossed over deep concerns from his own party and voters that it will balloon the national debt, while simultaneously gutting health and welfare support.
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett on Friday rebuffed the criticism, claiming the bill will produce "a real blowout for growth."
First Lady Melania Trump was also set to attend the Independence Day event.
Deep misgivings
Trump forced through the bill despite deep misgivings in the Republican Party -- and the vocal opposition of his billionaire former ally, Elon Musk.
It squeezed past a final vote in the House of Representatives 218-214 after Republican Speaker Mike Johnson worked through the night to corral the final group of dissenters.
The sprawling mega-bill honors many of Trump's campaign promises: boosting military spending, funding a mass migrant deportation drive and committing $4.5 trillion to extend his first-term tax relief.
But it is expected to pile an extra $3.4 trillion over a decade onto the US deficit.
Up to 17 million people could lose their insurance coverage under the bill, according to some estimates.
