House Republicans and the White House are looking for common ground with the Freedom Caucus, in particular, as leaders look to bring the tax-and-spending bill to the floor sometime Wednesday.
Members of the Freedom Caucus emerged from meetings Wednesday evening sounding an optimistic note and signaling movement toward a deal.
The White House and GOP leaders have also made progress in negotiations with blue-state Republicans on the other ideological end of the conference, securing a deal to raise the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap. There is also agreement on moving up new Medicaid work requirements to 2026.
Meanwhile, at the White House, President Trump greeted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, about a week after the U.S. welcomed a group of white South Africans, Afrikaners, as refugees.
Trump defended the administration’s Afrikaner refugee resettlement program, saying he will be discussing the “genocide” with Ramaphosa in a private meeting. He then surprised Ramaphosa with a video that purported to back up the administration’s claims of white farmers being persecuted in South Africa. The two leaders were to have lunch then a bilateral meeting.
At the day’s start, House Democrats lost a member: Virginia’s Rep. Gerry Connolly died Wednesday morning after a short cancer stint. He was 75.
Follow along all day for updates to these stories and more.