'Suicidal': Ex-GOP Speaker blasts Republican holdouts on Trump's budget
A former GOP Speaker of the House issued a dire warning to Republicans who dare to vote against President Donald Trump's mega budget bill.
Newt Gingrich made the comments on the Fox News show "Hannity" on Wednesday night as House Republicans were voting on Trump's signature piece of legislation.
"A 'no' vote here for a Republican is not only a vote for the largest tax increase in history, but it is probably a vote to retire," Gingrich said. "A 'no' vote here on President Trump's biggest domestic policy, the absolute center of his administration, is a vote that is suicidal."
As of 11:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Republicans did not have enough votes in the House to pass the legislation. The party could only afford to lose three members, and five Republicans voted against the bill: Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Keith Self (R-TX), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Victoria Spartz (R-IN), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
Trump was calling GOP members who had reservations about the bill on Wednesday. He also said in a post on Truth Social, the social media network that he owns, that the Republican Party was "UNITED" ahead of the vote.
"President Trump has staked everything on moving the economy and the government, on freeing up our energy, on a whole range of issues, in this bill," Gingrich said. "'People have been working on this bill for 14 months. You're either on the team or you're not on the team."