House Republicans stirred controversy late Wednesday after releasing a set of amendments to their sprawling legislative megabill, including a series of name changes that critics quickly slammed as cult-like and politically tone-deaf.
Among the most eye-catching revisions: swapping the term “MAGA” for “Trump” in several instances throughout the bill. The change appears most prominently in a proposal initially championed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), which would create government-seeded savings accounts for children — originally referred to as “MAGA accounts.”
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The amendment language reads: “Page 10, in the item relating to section 110115, strike ‘MAGA’ and insert ‘Trump.’” The proposed program would offer $1,000 in seed funding to newborns, a pilot initiative that Republicans hope could serve as a long-term savings boost.
Under the amendment, the accounts would be renamed “Trump accounts” or “Trump Trusts.” The move prompted immediate criticism and ridicule on social media and among political analysts. “An absolute cult,” wrote Democratic strategist Chris D. Jackson on X.
Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News reacted in disbelief, noting, “They are renaming the ‘MAGA Accounts’ … ‘Trump Accounts,’” alongside a screenshot displaying the proposed edits. Fred Wellman, host of the On Democracy Podcast, responded bluntly: “For f—s sake.”
Jamie Dupree, a veteran congressional reporter, expressed similar surprise. “Almost 5 full pages of the GOP changes are nothing but striking the word ‘MAGA’ and inserting the word ‘Trump.’ (I’m not kidding),” He posted.
The Lincoln Project, a prominent anti-Trump Republican group, took to social media to suggest the changes were a sign of internal party discomfort. “Are House Republicans so embarrassed by this bill that they are finding any way to place the blame on @realDonaldTrump?” the group posted on X.
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Criticism also came from libertarian-leaning policy experts. Adam Michel of the Cato Institute mocked the change, stating, “Just when you thought it could get stupider than ‘MAGA Account,’ they’ve decided to rename it to… ‘Trump Account,’” punctuated with a face-palm emoji.
Scott Lincicome, also of Cato, added sarcastically, “Ugh. They could’ve at least made it one of those tortured acronyms, like ‘Tax-free Reserve for Unborn Mighty Patriots’ or something.” According to Semafor reporter Kadia Goba, the renamed initiative is now officially titled “Trump Trusts.”
A vote in the House Rules Committee was expected Wednesday night, with full floor consideration anticipated to follow shortly after.
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