Don to senators: Get 'big tax bill' done by July 4

Senators face intense pressure as US president dials them up and Musk dials them down

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PRESIDENT Donald Trump wants his "big, beautiful" bill of tax breaks and spending cuts on his desk to be signed into law by the Fourth of July, and he's pushing the slow-rolling Senate to make it happen sooner rather than later.

Trump met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune at the White House earlier this week and has been dialing senators for one-on-one chats, using both the carrot and stick to nudge, badger and encourage them to act. But it's still a long road ahead for the 1,000-page-plus package.

"His question to me was, How do you think the bill's going to go in the Senate?" Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said about his call with Trump. "Do you think there's going to be problems?"