White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on Tuesday defended President Donald Trump’s flagship budget bill, pushing back against criticism that it raises the federal deficit.
In comments shared on social media platform X, Miller said confusion stems from critics conflating tax policy with government spending. He noted that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts would raise the deficit, but clarified that the bill actually reduces federal spending by over $1.6 trillion.
One of the bigger points of confusion on the BBB is spending vs tax cuts.
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) June 4, 2025
The lefty CBO says extending the 2017 tax cuts (preventing their expiration) increases the deficit.
Some critics have seen this figure and claimed or implied the bill increases *spending.*
Even according…
“When libertarians like Senator Rand Paul attack the deficit impact, they are really attacking the tax cuts,” Miller said, arguing that keeping current tax rates should not count as new deficit spending.
Miller also emphasized that the legislation is a reconciliation bill, not an appropriations or general budget measure. Crafted entirely by House conservatives, the bill includes no Democratic input and focuses on tax cuts, welfare reform, and immigration enforcement.
“It is a dream bill,” he said.
