A massive spending and tax bill is signed into law by Trump.

 

 Anthony Zurcher: Passage of megabill is big win for Trump

 US President Donald Trump has signed his landmark policy bill into law, a day after it was narrowly passed by Congress.

 The signing event at the White House on Friday afternoon enacts key parts of the Trump agenda including tax cuts, spending boosts for defence and the immigration crackdown.

 There was a celebratory atmosphere at the White House as Trump signed the bill ahead of Independence Day fireworks and a military picnic attended by the pilots who recently flew into Iran to strike three nuclear sites.

 Trump told supporters it will unleash economic growth, but he must now convince sceptical Americans as polling suggests many disapprove of parts of the bill.

 Due to the impact on the rising US debt, several members of his own Republican party opposed the bill, and Democrats warned that it would reward the wealthy while punishing the poor. The 870-page package includes:

 extending 2017 tax cuts of Trump's first term

 drastic reductions in the amount spent on Medicaid, the state-funded healthcare program for the disabled and low-income people new tax breaks on tipped income, overtime and Social Security

 a budget increase of $150bn for defence

 a reduction in tax credits for clean energy under the Biden administration $100 billion to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Moments before the bill signing, there was a fly-by of a pair B-2 bombers - the same kind of aircraft that participated in the Iran operation - flanked by highly advanced F-35 and F-22 fighter aircraft.

 In a speech from the White House balcony facing the South Lawn, Trump thanked Republican lawmakers who helped usher the bill to his desk.  He touted the tax cuts in the bill, brushing aside criticism of the impact to social programmes such as food assistance and Medicaid.

 He referred to the bill as "the largest spending cut, and yet, you won't even notice it." "The people are happy."

 Additionally, Trump praised additional resources being given to border and immigration enforcement and an end to taxes on tips, overtime and social security for senior citizens, which he says the bill will fulfil.

 The celebratory mood follows days of tense negotiations with Republican rebels in Congress and days of cajoling on Capitol Hill, sometimes by the president himself.

 House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delayed the final vote in the lower chamber of Congress on Thursday by speaking for nearly nine hours.

 He called the bill an "extraordinary assault on the healthcare of the American people" and quoted testimony from individuals anxious about its impact.

 But his marathon speech only postponed the inevitable.  As soon as he sat down, the House moved to a vote.

After narrowly passing Trump's expansive budget bill before the self-imposed July 4 deadline, Republican lawmakers celebrated. Only two Republicans went against, joining all 212 Democrats united in opposition.  The bill passed by 218 votes to 214.

 The bill was approved by the Senate earlier this week, but three Republicans withdrew their support, necessitating a tie-breaking vote from US Vice President JD Vance. Major victory now, but political danger lies ahead. Fact-checking three key claims about the bill

 Hours after the House passed the bill, the president was in a triumphant mood as he took to the stage in Iowa to kick off a years long celebration of 250 years since American independence.

 "There could be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago," he told supporters in Des Moines.

 The White House believes the various tax cuts will help stimulate economic growth, but many experts fear that will not be sufficient to prevent the budget deficit - the difference between spending and tax revenue in any year - from ballooning, adding to the national debt.

 The tax cuts, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), may result in a surplus the first year, but the deficit will then rise significantly. Annually, the US budget deficit rises sharply, as shown in this chart. The Tax Policy Center found in its analysis that the tax changes in the bill would benefit wealthy Americans more than those with lower incomes. About 60% of the benefits would go to people with incomes above $217,000 (£158,000). The BBC spoke to Americans who may see a cut in the subsidies that help them pay for groceries.

 One of 42 million Americans who benefit from the bill's SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) scheme is Jordan, a father of two. Americans brace for Trump's welfare cuts

 What is in the bill?

 He and his wife get about $700 a month to feed their family of four and the 26-year-old said if this bill reduces what he can claim he would get a second job.  "I'm going to make sure that I can do whatever I can to feed my family," he says.

 Along with cuts to SNAP, the changes to Medicaid - a programme that covers healthcare for low-income, elderly and disabled Americans - would result in nearly 12 million losing coverage in the next decade, the CBO estimates.

 Republicans claim that by tightening work requirements, they are combating fraud and abuse in Medicaid. According to polls conducted prior to the bill's passage in Congress, public support is low and dwarfed by opposition. Only 29% of respondents to a recent Quinnipiac University poll supported the legislation, compared to two-thirds of Republicans. However, the bill may also be poorly understood. Reuters reported there was little awareness of the legislation among Trump supporters they spoke to at the Iowa rally on Thursday night.