Venezuelan Fugitive Suspected of Murdering 18-year-old Texan Arrested

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Venezuelan Fugitive Suspected of Murdering 18-year-old Texan Arrested

(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) A Venezuelan national illegally in the U.S. was arrested on Tuesday after being on the run since allegedly killing a north Texan 18-year-old on Sunday.

The Grapevine Police Department said its officers, working with Texas game wardens, had taken into custody Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez, the suspect tied to the death of Texan Ava Moore. The Office of the Attorney General, Texas Department of Public Safety, the Dallas Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations were involved in tracking down two alleged fugitives they say were involved in her death.

Ava Renee Moore, 18, was killed Sunday night while kayaking on Lake Grapevine, a reservoir roughly 20 miles northwest of Dallas. She had just graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School on May 19 and accepted her appointment to join the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Class of 2029. She was a graduate of Timber Creek High School in Ft. Worth.

In addition to Gonzalez Gonzalez, another suspect was arrested who allegedly helped her flee the scene, Attorney General Ken Paxton said.

“On Sunday, Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez – an illegal alien from Venezuela – struck and killed an 18-year-old woman, Ava Moore, on Lake Grapevine with a jet ski. The suspect then fled the scene with a male illegal alien, subsequently committing a hit-and-run after striking another vehicle. Paxton’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit tracked down and arrested the illegal aliens connected to the crimes, working with the Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Grapevine Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,” he said.

“Ava Moore’s senseless death was caused by an illegal alien who should have never been in our country in the first place. My heart breaks for Ava’s family and friends, and my prayers are with them as they face this tragedy,” he said. The OAG is continuing to work with local, state, and national law enforcement partners involved in the case.

NBC 5 News reported that witnesses saw two women on a jet ski hit Moore while she was kayaking on Sunday and drive away. Several Good Samaritans carried Moore out of the water and provided first aid as did first responders, but it was too late. “Moore died from severe traumatic injuries,” the outlet reported.

Moore was a star basketball player in high school and was determined to join the Air Force and serve her country, an Air Force Academy official said. She never got the chance.

“We lost an exemplary teammate this weekend – Cadet Candidate Ava Moore, whose passion for leadership and service left an impact on everyone she met. Ava’s constant happiness and attitude helped her squadron get through the challenges of the Prep School, and her drive to excel was on display as she sought out leadership positions to improve herself and her team,” Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, U.S. Air Force Academy superintendent, said in a statement. “Our team is focused on providing support to Ava’s family, her Prep School Squadron, the Prep School Women’s Basketball team, and the entire Academy family.”

The academy is providing a “full complement of support services, including Academy chaplains, mental health professionals, leaders, and others” it said.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ava’s family, friends and loved ones. Ava, may you find blue skies and tailwinds as you rest forever in peace,” it added.

Moore is the second young Texas female to be killed by Venezuelans illegally in the country, after Houstonian Jocelyn Nungaray, The Center Square reported.

Their deaths occurred after a record number of more than 1 million Venezuelans illegally entered the country under the Biden administration, The Center Square exclusively reported.

Report: CA Faces $10B-20B Annual Deficits for Years, ‘Wall of Debt’

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Report: CA Faces $10B-20B Annual Deficits for Years, ‘Wall of Debt’

(Kenneth Schrupp, The Center Square) California is set to experience deficits of $10 billion to $20 billion each of the next several years, according to a new report from the state-funded Legislative Analyst’s Office.

The report warns the “shortfalls will become increasingly difficult to resolve over time” due to reliance on a dwindling number of available “one-time” solutions.

The LAO’s report, quietly released on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, forecasts “persistent future deficits,” even after accounting for California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s May budget revisions to address a $12 billion budget shortfall. The report indicates that would leave the state’s next governor with a growing, non-recessionary, structural state treasury crisis.

Among the “least disruptive” solutions rapidly becoming exhausted are “reducing one-time and temporary spending, drawing down reserves, and increasing borrowing.”

“To balance the budget going forward, the Legislature will likely need to adopt additional solutions that increase ongoing revenues or reduce ongoing spending — both of which involve the most difficult and consequential trade-offs for policymakers,” wrote the LAO.

The office also noted that the state is relying on borrowing, as it did during the Great Recession, to pay for regular services, which will put further pressure on future budgets — and California’s next governor after Newsom.

“Since 2023-24, the Legislature has addressed a cumulative total of $82 billion in budget shortfalls, with the May Revision reflecting another shortfall,” wrote the LAO. “While the majority of those deficits have been solved using spending reductions, a non-negligible share of the solutions have relied on budgetary borrowing.”

“Some of this borrowing is similar to the measures used during the Great Recession — collectively previously referred to as the state’s ‘wall of debt,’ which was defined as nonroutine borrowing mechanisms enacted to address persistent deficits,” continued the LAO. “The May Revision adds $5 billion in new borrowing, increasing the total outstanding amount from $12 billion to $17 billion.”

“These obligations will place additional pressure on the state’s future budgets,” the office concluded.

Last year, the LAO said the state has “no capacity” for new spending and would face persistent deficits rising to the tens of billions of dollars. As demonstrated by the LAO’s multiyear analysis of the governor’s May revised budget, this core structural imbalance of spending exceeding revenues has not been addressed.

What We Know About the Escape of a former Police Chief and Convicted Killer in Arkansas

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What We Know About the Escape of a former Police Chief and Convicted Killer in Arkansas

(Headline USA) Officials scoured Arkansas’ rugged Ozark Mountains for a former police chief and convicted killer who escaped from prison over the weekend.

Grant Hardin, who briefly served as police chief for the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving a decades-long sentence for murder and rape.

Known as the “Devil in the Ozarks,” he escaped Sunday from the North Central Unit, a medium-security prison in Calico Rock.

Hardin’s escape happened days after 10 men fled a New Orleans jail by going through a hole behind a toilet. Eight of those fugitives have since been captured.

Here’s what to know about Hardin and his escape:

How did he escape?

Hardin escaped from the prison Sunday afternoon by impersonating a corrections officer “in dress and manner,” according to a court document. A prison officer opened a secure gate, allowing him to leave the facility.

The outfit was not a standard inmate or correctional uniform, said Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Officials are working to determine how he was either able to get the uniform or manufacture it himself.

Video surveillance shows Hardin escaped at about 2:55 p.m. on Sunday, Champion said. Officials announced his escape about two hours later.

But how he got out of the prison and escaped into a rural part of the state, as well as whether he had any help is still unclear.

Prison officials say they are investigating what led up to the escape “to help determine any assistance he may have had.”

Champion said the decision to house Hardin in a medium-security facility, which has a capacity of about 800 people, weighed the “needs of the different facilities and inmates” and “assessments” of his crimes.

Why was he in prison?

Hardin had been held at the Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder for fatally shooting James Appleton, 59.

Appleton, a Gateway water department employee, was shot in the head in 2017. Police found his body inside a car. Hardin was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Hardin’s DNA was entered into the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, and it matched the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school in Rogers, north of Fayetteville. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison for that crime. He was a police officer in Eureka Springs at that time.

His short tenure as police chief

Hardin became police chief of Gateway, a town of about 450 people, in 2016.

Virtually overnight, people in the community described in the HBO documentary “Devil in the Ozarks” a dramatic shift.

“He was out chasing cars for no reason,” said Cheryl Tillman, one of Appleton’s sisters. “He was pulling guns on the citizens here in Gateway and then as time went on with him being the police chief things just started going down hill fast.”

The documentary revealed a crucial run-in between Hardin and Appleton in the Spring of 2016 in which Appleton stood up to Hardin about fixing a police car. A Benton county sheriff’s office lieutenant described several times when they got into each other’s faces and the dislike they both felt toward one another.

The city council gave him an ultimatum: resign or be fired. He stepped down four months after taking the position and nine months later, he killed Appleton.

The ‘Devil in the Ozarks’ documentary

Hardin was the focus of a popular 2023 HBO documentary, “Devil in the Ozarks,” that featured interviews with everyone from the victim of the 1997 rape and sisters of the murder victim to Hardin’s family.

It revealed key details about the bubbling resentment Hardin felt toward Appleton as well as revealing accounts of the moments right before and after the murder.

Then Gateway Mayor Andrew Tillman, who was Appleton’s brother-in-law, described being on the phone with him when he was shot, while local resident John Bray spoke about driving past Appleton’s car when the shooting happened. He was the first to find his body and identified Hardin as the shooter.

“I heard what I thought was someone had fired a riffle,” he said.

“I went back and I seen it looked like he had been shot,” he added, wiping away tears.

The documentary also includes security video of Hardin at a restaurant with his family just after the shooting and the police interrogation in which he tells law enforcement he has “the right to be silent” and opted not to give a statement.

The search for Hardin

Authorities are using canines, drones and helicopters to search the rugged northern Arkansas terrain, Champion said.

Although he did not reveal the exact areas of the search, he did say it has expanded as more time has elapsed since the escape.

Officials have faced challenges searching the areas as it’s very rocky and heavy rain has fallen in recent days.

The area around the prison is a rural part of the state, which can make Hardin’s escape more difficult. In a small community, there’s a higher chance someone will recognize him and alert the authorities, said Craig Caine, a retired inspector with the U.S. Marshals who has handled many cases involving escaped prisoners.

The Division of Correction and the Division of Community Correction are following leads with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press.

Woman Shot at CIA Headquarters Was Driving Drunk and Crashed Through Gate

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Woman Shot at CIA Headquarters Was Driving Drunk and Crashed Through Gate

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) The woman shot outside of CIA headquarters last Thursday had been at a bar earlier that night and was extremely intoxicated, according to recently filed charges.

The driver, Monia Spadaro, now faces a DUI charge, as well as a federal charge for endangering law enforcement.

The charging papers against Spadaro filed on Friday state that she was driving a gray Toyota Corolla down the wrong way on the CIA’s campus at 3:38 a.m. on Thursday—prompting a CIA Police Officer to activate the lights and sirens on a marked vehicle and drive toward her.

“The driver did not stop after the signals were activated and instead continued toward the main security gate, while executing several reckless maneuvers by changing lanes from outbound to inbound and back to outbound lanes of travel. An additional marked CIA Police vehicle was stationed at the security gate with emergency lights activated in an attempt to stop the suspect vehicle,” the criminal complaint states.

“The Toyota Corolla disregarded all attempts to stop and continued toward the main security gate, while increasing its speed. A CIA Police Officer was positioned on foot near the security gate as the driver continued towards him and the gate at a high rate of speed. As the driver arrived at the gate, shots were fired, and the driver sustained a gunshot wound.”

Spadaro was taken to Fairfax INOVA Hospital, where she identified herself and admitted she had been drinking at a bar called Patsy’s earlier.

According to Court Watch, which first reported the criminal complaint, Spadaro has a prior DUI conviction from 2021. She’s currently in custody and has a detention hearing this afternoon.

When the CIA shooting was initially reported last week, many observers wondered whether it was related to the assassination of two Israeli embassy staffers that occurred hours before. Authorities have confirmed that wasn’t the case.

Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.

James O’Keefe Fights to Reclaim Project Veritas Amid New Allegations

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James O’Keefe Fights to Reclaim Project Veritas Amid New Allegations

(José Niño, Headline USA) James O’Keefe, the founder of Project Veritas, is mounting a  campaign to regain control of the organization after his controversial ouster in 2023.

O’Keefe founded Project Veritas in 2010, but was removed in February 2023, after a period of mounting tensions within the organization. Staff members had accused him of mistreating employees, while the board cited “financial malfeasance,” including excessive spending on personal luxuries such as charter flights, dance events, and expensive car services.

Last Wednesday, O’Keefe launched a docuseries aimed at exposing what he claims are the real reasons behind his removal and is actively campaigning to regain control of Project Veritas. 

On Facebook, O’Keefe published a video titled “O’KEEFE IN TALKS TO REGAIN CONTROL OF PROJECT VERITAS LAUNCHES DOCUSERIES: THE TRUTH BEHIND VERITAS.” According to the video, federal testimony has revealed that board members who fired O’Keefe were “co-investing in medical companies that ‘could be sold to Pfizer’.” 

This video is part of a docuseries called “The Truth Inside Veritas,” which presents his version of events surrounding his removal and to build public support for his return to the organization.

The docuseries promises to reveal what O’Keefe characterizes as the real reasons behind his ouster, focusing particularly on the alleged conflicts of interest among board members.

The board members O’Keefe accused of engaging in conflicts of interest and financial impropriety were George Skakel and Matthew Tyrmand, who both played key roles in ousting O’Keefe in 2023. 

Skakel is a former board member and chief financial officer of Project Veritas until his resignation in August 2023. He is also CEO of FinFit, LLC, a financial wellness company providing online lending platforms (2008–present). 

O’Keefe alleges Skakel violated Project Veritas’ conflict-of-interest policy by co-investing in medical companies (Petrogen, CathAid, Black Buffalo, and Forever Labs) that could be sold to Pfizer—a direct contradiction to the organization’s investigative work exposing Pfizer. 

Skakel allegedly failed to disclose these investments while serving on the board.

In a November 2024 deposition tied to a civil lawsuit, Skakel stated under oath, “Petrogen could be sold to a big pharma, like Pfizer.”

As Skakel was investing in these four private firms, Tyrmand actively fundraised for each. “I have frequent conversations with Matt because I’m an investor in four companies that he has been raising money for,” Skakel stated. When asked whether these investments took place during his tenure on the Project Veritas board, he replied, “Yes, I think I was on the board then.”

Tyrmand is an investigative journalist and conservative commentator, who has contributed to Breitbart, The American Conservative, and Polish media outlets. He also co-runs a venture investment fund focused on technology, healthcare, and consumer products.

Tyrmand was suspended by the New York Young Republican Club in 2023 amid allegations of orchestrating James O’Keefe’s ouster.

Skakel and Tyrmand didn’t respond to Headline USA’s requests for comment on the matter.

After being ousted from Project Veritas, O’Keefe, launched a new venture, O’Keefe Media Group (OMG), in March 2023, continuing his brand of undercover journalism. 

This move prompted Project Veritas to file a lawsuit against O’Keefe in May 2023 alleging breach of contract, misuse of donor funds, and solicitation of staff/donors for his new venture, O’Keefe Media Group (OMG), while still employed by Project Veritas. The suit sought damages and injunctive relief to restrict O’Keefe’s activities The lawsuit also alleges O’Keefe bullied staff and misused company funds. 

Project Veritas sued O’Keefe in May 2023, alleging breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, misuse of company funds, and solicitation of staff/donors for his new venture, OMG, while still employed by Project Veritas. 

The suit sought damages and injunctive relief to restrict O’Keefe’s activities.

In August 2023, both parties engaged in settlement talks, leading to a court-approved extension to delay serving legal documents. However, these discussions did not resolve the case, and litigation continued. 

On July 30, 2024, a federal judge denied Project Veritas’s motion for a preliminary injunction to block O’Keefe from operating OMG during litigation. The court found insufficient evidence of irreparable harm to justify halting his activities.

For now, the litigation continues, with no public indications of an imminent resolution. Further updates will depend on court filings or settlements.

The case can be found here: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67454688/project-veritas-v-okeefe/ 

José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino 

Secret Service Suspends Agents Caught in Obama-Tied Brawl

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Secret Service Suspends Agents Caught in Obama-Tied Brawl

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The Secret Service suspended two female agents caught on camera throwing hands outside the D.C. residence of former President Barack Obama, a spokesperson confirmed.

The agency told the New York Post that it was aware of an on-duty “altercation” on May 21 at approximately 2:30 a.m.

“The individuals involved were suspended from duty and this matter is the subject of an internal investigation,” the spokesperson added. “The Secret Service has a very strict code of conduct for all employees and any behavior that violates that code is unacceptable.” 

The spokesperson refused to provide further information, given the personnel matter.

The fight came to light on May 27 after RealClearPolitics reporter Susan Crabtree released audio of one agent demanding, “I need a supervisor out here… immediately before I whoop this girl’s ass.”

According to Crabtree, the fight erupted when one agent grew angry that her partner was late to relieve her from duty.

The brawl follows mounting criticism of the Secret Service’s push for diversity, equity and inclusion under the leadership of the Biden administration.

Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after the near-assassination attempt against President Trump on July 13, 2024, amid questions over agent preparedness.

Critics say the video of the attack showed female agents appearing confused and unprepared as the attempt unfolded.

Critics have launched a Change.org petition calling on new Director Sean Curran, who shielded Trump during that attack, to purge the agency of nepotism, lax standards and DEI policies.

“Government-wide DEI policies being pushed by Agency heads to further the Obama and Biden administrations’ radical agenda are to blame for the lowered standards at Secret Service and the tragic events of J13,” one of the petitioners commented.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Visits Israel, Meets With Netanyahu and Ben Gvir

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DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Visits Israel, Meets With Netanyahu and Ben Gvir

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was in Israel on Sunday and Monday, where she met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and her counterpart, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

According to Netanyahu’s office, during a meeting with the prime minister and several other Israeli officials on Sunday, Noem “expressed unwavering support for the Prime Minister and the State of Israel.”

Netanyahu’s office said she also “expressed great appreciation for the Prime Minister’s policy of building a fence along the Egyptian border and for his conduct of the war,” a reference to Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Noem told Fox & Friends on Monday that she and Netanyahu discussed US negotiations with Iran, an issue where President Trump and the Israeli leader are reportedly at odds.

“President Trump specifically sent me here to have a conversation with the prime minister about how those negotiations were going and how important it is that we stay united and let this process play out. It was a very candid conversation,” she said.

“I’ve known the prime minister for many years and had many good conversations with him, but this was one directly from the president, and I think the prime minister greatly appreciated it,” Noem added. When asked what she meant by a “candid” conversation, Noem didn’t elaborate.

Noem held a separate meeting with Ben Gvir, during which the Israeli minister “thanked his counterpart for American support for Israel and for President Trump’s immigration plan,” a reference to Trump’s calls for the expulsion of the Palestinian population of Gaza.

Ben Gvir, who has previously been convicted of supporting a terrorist organization, is one of the leading proponents of the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the establishment of Jewish settlements in the territory.

Noem also met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Monday and attended a ceremony for Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, Israeli embassy staffers who were shot and killed in Washington DC on May 21. The suspected shooter, Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, cited Gaza as his motive for the attack in a purported manifesto.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

Trump Says Putin Has Gone ‘Crazy’ Amid Heavy Russian Attacks on Ukraine

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Trump Says Putin Has Gone ‘Crazy’ Amid Heavy Russian Attacks on Ukraine

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) President Trump said on Sunday night that Russian President Vladimir Putin has “gone crazy” amid heavy Russian attacks on Ukraine.

“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever,” the president added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to Trump’s comments, saying Russia appreciated his push for negotiations and suggesting that the US president was suffering from an “emotional overload.”

Ukrainian officials said on Monday that Russia had launched its heaviest drone attack on Ukraine overnight. A Ukrainian Air Force official said the Russian attack involved 355 drones.

Peskov said that the Russian bombardment was a response to heavy Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory. “We can see how the Ukrainians attack our social infrastructure facilities, civilian infrastructure. These are retaliatory strikes, strikes on military facilities and military targets,” he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that from 10:00 am Moscow time on Sunday to 8:00 am Moscow time on Monday, air defenses shot down 148 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory. According to SouthFront, a total of 163 Ukrainian drones were intercepted by Monday evening.

Trump also took a shot at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his post on Truth Social. “President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop,” Trump said.

“This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not ‘Trump’s,’ I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred,” he added.

While Trump claims the conflict is not his war, his administration continues to provide military aid and intelligence support to Ukraine.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

US Has Delivered 90,000 Tons of Weapons to Israel in Nearly 600 Days

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US Has Delivered 90,000 Tons of Weapons to Israel in Nearly 600 Days

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) The US has delivered 90,000 tons of bombs, guns, and other military equipment to Israel since October 7, 2023, to support the genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to numbers from the Israeli Defense Ministry.

The Defense Ministry said Tuesday that the 800th plane carrying US weapons arrived in Israel in the morning, and 140 ships have also delivered US equipment in the nearly 600 days since October 7.

The ministry stated that the military equipment has included “armored vehicles, munitions, ammunition, personal protection gear, and medical supplies” and that the US support is “a significant component” in ensuring the Israeli military can continue the slaughter in Gaza.

Israeli military officials have previously said that without US military support, Israel wouldn’t be able to sustain operations in Gaza for more than a few months. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that without US backing, Israel wouldn’t be able to achieve its goals in Gaza, which include the complete destruction of the territory and the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population.

US deliveries to Israel continue despite reports of friction between President Trump and Netanyahu. While Trump has claimed he wants to see a ceasefire in Gaza, there’s no indication that he is willing to force Israel to agree to a deal with Hamas by leveraging military aid.

Meanwhile, daily Israeli atrocities in Gaza continue, which have taken a huge toll on women and children. Gaza’s Health Ministry recently published a list of the names of 16,506 children that the US has helped Israel kill in Gaza, a number that’s likely a significant undercount.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

Senators Worry About Spending, Debt Increase in Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’

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Senators Worry About Spending, Debt Increase in Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’

(Thérèse Boudreaux, The Center Square) Republicans’ behemoth budget reconciliation bill still faces major hurdles after passing the U.S. House last week, with multiple senators raising concerns about the legislation’s cost.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act in its current form hikes the debt ceiling by $4 trillion and funds large swaths of Trump’s tax, border, energy, and defense agenda, including codifying President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts. The legislation consists of 11 separate House committee prints that collectively fulfill the April budget resolution’s 10-year spending and savings instructions.

That budget blueprint allowed House committees to budget $4.5 trillion in lost revenue over the next decade, provided they also find $2 trillion in cuts and assume $2.6 trillion in economic growth.

Since House committees found only $1.5 trillion in cuts – including to entitlement programs like Medicaid – the bill authorizes $4 trillion in spending. But organizations like the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget say the true cost of the bill could amount to a $5.2 trillion federal debt increase.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., barely garnered enough Republican votes to advance the bill through his chamber after partially fulfilling demands from multiple GOP factions, including fiscal hawks.

But the delicate balance may not survive if Senate leaders make the controversial changes they want – such as raising the debt ceiling by $5 trillion and undoing the House’s Inflation Reduction Act funding clawbacks – and enough Republican senators already oppose the bill in its existing form to tank it once it reaches the upper chamber.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he’s “a no” on the bill “[until] everyone in Washington gets serious about paying down our national debt,” which is set to surpass $37 trillion in 2025.

“Republicans promised Americans we would rein in wasteful spending and tackle the national debt if they gave us control of all three branches of government,” Paul said in a recent X post. “Instead, my colleagues want to tack on more to our national debt instead of making necessary cuts.”

But the Senate’s purported plans will likely skyrocket the cost of the already expensive bill, due to the budget blueprint also allowing Senate committees to spend up to $1.5 trillion on their own policy wishes.

For while House committees operated under the current law baseline, which assumes that extending the tax cuts would result in trillions of lost federal revenue – hence their work to find $1.5 trillion in cuts – the Senate decided to adopt a current policy baseline when calculating their costs.

The controversial accounting tactic, which critics call a “gimmick,” treats the tax cut extension as a continuation of current law rather than new policy, theoretically zeroing out the cost of permanently codifying the TCJA.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., called the bill’s trajectory “mortgaging our children’s future” in multiple social media posts and comments to reporters.

“Republican leaders have repeatedly said, ‘we don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem,’ Johnson said on X. “I believe there are enough Republican Senators to force them to live up to their rhetoric.”

The Senate is also looking at raising the debt ceiling by $5 trillion rather than $4 trillion, to which Paul has vehemently objected, telling reporters that “there’s nothing fiscally conservative about expanding the debt ceiling more than we’ve ever done it before.”

Because the budget reconciliation process bypasses the Senate filibuster, the upper chamber could pass the final package by a simple majority vote. But if just two more senators join Rand and Johnson in voting against the megabill, Trump’s entire policy agenda could fall apart.

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