Research suggests Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" is becoming more expensive due to Senate changes, projected to add $4.2 trillion to deficits.
It seems likely that the focus on the US-Iran conflict, with recent airstrikes, is diverting attention from these cost increases.
The evidence leans toward the bill's rising cost being driven by legislative adjustments, not directly by the Iran situation, though economic impacts like higher oil prices may indirectly affect fiscal projections.
Background
Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" is a major legislative package passed by the House in May 2025, focusing on tax cuts and policy reforms. It's now in the Senate, where changes are increasing its cost, coinciding with global attention on the US-Iran conflict following airstrikes on June 22, 2025.
Cost Increases
Recent Senate modifications, including tax proposals, are expected to raise the bill's price tag, with analyses showing a $4.2 trillion addition to deficits over the next decade
. This is due to legislative adjustments, not direct ties to Iran, though economic fallout from the conflict could play a role.
Impact of Iran Conflict
The US-Iran conflict, with airstrikes on nuclear sites, has heightened geopolitical tensions, potentially affecting oil prices and economic growth, which could indirectly impact the bill's fiscal cost by reducing tax revenues. However, the main driver is Senate changes, with the Iran focus possibly overshadowing these cost increases.
This note provides a detailed examination of the increasing costs associated with President Donald J. Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill," a comprehensive legislative package, and how these developments coincide with heightened global attention on the US-Iran conflict following recent airstrikes. It explores the legislative changes, economic implications, and the interplay with geopolitical tensions, offering insights for policymakers, analysts, and investors as of 08:26 AM PDT on Monday, June 23, 2025.
The "One Big Beautiful Bill," officially the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1 - 119th Congress), was passed by the US House of Representatives on May 22, 2025, with a narrow 215-214 vote, and is now under consideration in the Senate
.
However, as the bill moves to the Senate, recent changes are driving up its cost, projected to add $4.2 trillion to deficits over the next decade, according to analyses .
The Senate is actively revising the bill, with the Finance Committee proposing changes that add and lengthen tax cuts for businesses and individuals, while slightly delaying the elimination of green energy tax credits, as noted in recent reports .
Detailed analyses, such as from the Tax Foundation, indicate that the tax provisions alone would reduce federal tax revenue by $4.0 trillion from 2025 through 2034 on a conventional basis before added interest costs, highlighting the fiscal challenge
.
Simultaneously, the world's attention is focused on the escalating US-Iran conflict, with the US conducting airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites on June 22, 2025, marking a significant escalation
.
The economic impact of this conflict is significant, with potential adverse shocks to the global economy, particularly through higher energy costs and trade disruptions
.
While the bill's rising cost is primarily driven by legislative changes, the focus on the Iran conflict may be overshadowing these developments, potentially allowing cost increases to receive less scrutiny. The Yahoo Finance article highlights that the attack on Iran has overshadowed the bill's new higher price tag and removal of key provisions, suggesting a diversion of attention
.
Indirectly, the Iran conflict could affect the bill's fiscal projections. Higher oil prices and economic slowdown could reduce tax revenues, making the tax cuts more costly in terms of the deficit. Additionally, there is potential for increased defense spending in response to the conflict, though specific amendments to the bill for this purpose are not yet clear. The bill already includes defense priorities, such as funding for a missile defense shield and shipbuilding, and any further increases might require separate legislation or amendments during Senate deliberations
.
Below are tables summarizing key cost estimates and economic impacts:
Aspect | Details | Cost Estimate (USD Trillion) | Source |
---|---|---|---|
House-Passed Bill Tax Provisions | Reduces federal tax revenue | 4.0 (2025-2034, conventional) | Big Beautiful Bill" House GOP Tax Plan: Preliminary Details and Analysis |
Senate Changes | Projected cost over next decade, after untangling gimmicks | 4.2 (added to deficits) | Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' is getting more expensive as the world's attention is on Iran |
Initial Senate Tax Proposals | Cost estimate before further analysis | 0.441 (over coming decade) | Joint Committee on Taxation: JCX-29-25 |
Economic Impact of Iran Conflict | Details | Current Data (June 23, 2025) | Source |
---|---|---|---|
Oil Price Surge | Due to potential Strait of Hormuz closure | WTI Crude: $74.69/Bbl, up 0.87% | Crude Oil - Price - Chart - Historical Data - News |
Inflation Risk | Higher energy costs could spike inflation | Not quantified | [America’s economy could face a war shock |
Economic Growth | Potential slowdown due to trade disruptions and energy costs | Not quantified | US Strikes on Iran Come at Fragile Moment for the Global Economy - Bloomberg |
The evidence suggests that Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" is becoming more expensive primarily due to Senate modifications, with projected costs adding $4.2 trillion to deficits, driven by changes in tax provisions and potential adjustments to spending cuts. While the US-Iran conflict, marked by recent airstrikes, is not directly causing these cost increases, it is diverting global attention, potentially allowing these fiscal changes to receive less scrutiny. Indirectly, the conflict's economic impacts, such as higher oil prices and potential economic slowdown, could exacerbate the bill's fiscal cost by reducing tax revenues, highlighting the complex interplay between domestic legislation and geopolitical events.
FACT: One, Big, Beautiful Bill Cuts Spending, Fuels Growth – The White House
Big Beautiful Bill" House GOP Tax Plan: Preliminary Details and Analysis
Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' is getting more expensive as the world's attention is on Iran
Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ With Trillions in Tax Cuts: What to Know | Kiplinger
U.S. launches strikes on 3 Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump says
What would an Israel-Iran war mean for the global economy? | Al Jazeera
US Strikes on Iran Come at Fragile Moment for the Global Economy - Bloomberg
Live updates: Senate to press forward with Trump agenda bill