Trump signs One Big Beautiful Bill into law on July 4, enacting sweeping tax cuts, spending cuts and border walls

President Donald Trump strode onto the South Lawn on July 4, flanked by stealth bombers roaring overhead, to sign the “One Big Beautiful Bill” into law. Barely 24 hours after scraping through the Republican-controlled House by a 218-214 vote, Trump sealed his second-term hallmark with a flourish, capping a day of flyovers, fanfare and political theatre.

The ceremony drew hundreds to the White House lawn: Trump supporters, congressional allies, military families and staff gathered under a clear summer sky as the president embraced his legislative victory. “I’ve never seen people so happy in our country because of that, because so many different groups of people are being taken care of: the military, civilians of all types, jobs of all types,” Trump said, pausing to thank House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune for shepherding the bill through Congress.

“So you have the biggest tax cut, the biggest spending cut, the largest border security investment in American history,” he added, reflecting on provisions that will make the 2017 tax cuts permanent, impose broad spending reductions and bankroll an aggressive immigration enforcement strategy.

At the heart of the package is a USD 350 billion border and national security plan: USD 46 billion to expand the US-Mexico wall, USD 45 billion for 100,000 migrant detention beds, and a recruitment push for 10,000 new ICE officers, each receiving a USD 10,000 signing bonus. Critics warn the border blowout could leave millions without health coverage, and a nonpartisan analysis projects the plan will tack over USD 3 trillion onto the existing USD 36.2 trillion national debt.

Despite grumbling from a handful of Republicans over cost and healthcare impacts, only two of the party’s 220 House members voted against the bill. All 212 Democrats opposed it, with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries delivering an eight-hour, 46-minute floor speech denouncing the legislation as a windfall for the wealthy at the expense of the vulnerable.