Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Is The Most Hated Piece of Legislation Congress Has Passed In Decades

Washington, D.C. – Data analyst Harry Enten declared President Donald Trump’s signature “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” the most hated piece of legislation passed by Congress since at least 1990, in an analysis on CNN’s OutFront on August 19. With polling data showing unprecedented public disapproval, Enten warned that the bill’s unpopularity could spell disaster for the Republican Party in the 2026 midterms, particularly among independent voters.

As Vice President JD Vance struggles to sell the bill’s merits and the Trump administration scrambles to rebrand it, the legislation has become a lightning rod for criticism, fueling protests and deepening political divisions amid a turbulent second term.

Historically Unpopular Bill

Enten, CNN’s resident polling expert, didn’t hold back in his assessment. “I went back into the archives and looked at every piece of major legislation passed since 1990,” he told host Erin Burnett.

“The most unpopular bill that was passed? Guess what it is… It’s the Big Beautiful Bill.” When Burnett asked if it was “even worse than Obamacare,” Enten replied, “Even worse. At minus 8 points was Obamacare. Look at where the Big Beautiful Bill is: 17 points under. There, simply put, isn’t anything even close to how unpopular this bill is.”

The numbers paint a grim picture. Polls from CNN, CBS, and Fox News show the bill’s net favorability—support minus opposition—ranging from minus 19 to minus 22 points. Pew Research reported a minus 14, while The Wall Street Journal’s relatively “rosy” poll still clocked it at minus 10. “When the best you can do is minus 10 points, you know it’s an unpopular bill,” Enten quipped.

Independent voters, a critical electoral bloc, were particularly harsh, with only 30% viewing the bill favorably compared to 69% who opposed it—a staggering 39-point gap. “Elections are won and lost in the center of the electorate,” Enten noted. “If this is what the election is about, you can wave adios, amigos—goodbye to the Republican majority in the House, and you may be able to say it to that Republican majority in the Senate.”

Even among Republicans, the bill lags behind Trump’s personal popularity, with Enten warning that it could become a political liability. “Good luck to JD Vance trying to sell this bill,” he said, noting Vance’s unenviable task of pitching the legislation to a skeptical public. The $4.9 trillion package, which includes permanent extensions of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, increased defense and border security spending, and deep Medicaid cuts, passed the House by a razor-thin 215-214 vote in June 2025 and the Senate via Vice President Vance’s tiebreaker, before being signed into law by Trump on July 4, 2025.

Why the Backlash?

The bill’s unpopularity stems from its controversial provisions, particularly the $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts over a decade, which include phasing out provider taxes, imposing stricter eligibility rules, and introducing work requirements for recipients.

KFF polling revealed that 68% of Medicaid recipients fear losing coverage would make affording prescription drugs “very difficult,” while 59% worry about accessing healthcare providers. These cuts, intended to offset tax breaks for the wealthy and increased Pentagon funding, have drawn fierce criticism, with GOP Senators Josh Hawley and Susan Collins warning of devastating impacts on rural hospitals and low-income communities.

Public sentiment was vividly displayed at a Wisconsin town hall, where Rep. Bryan Steil faced voter outrage over his support for the bill. Enten highlighted this event, noting, “Constituents are eating those representatives alive.” The bill’s broader economic impact also concerns voters, with 51% telling CNN they expect it to hurt the economy, compared to 29% who see it as beneficial. The addition to the federal deficit, cited by 40% as a reason for opposition, has further eroded support, with one Virginia Republican surveyed calling the debt “oppressive.”

The Desperate Rebranding Effort

Reflecting GOP anxiety, the Trump administration is reportedly considering renaming the bill to distance it from its toxic reputation. NBC reported that GOP strategists have suggested titles like the “Working Family Tax Cuts Act” or “Trump Working Family Tax Cuts” to emphasize popular provisions like tax breaks for seniors and parents.

Vice President Vance, tasked with selling the bill, has been on a nationwide tour since late July, with a stop planned in metro Atlanta on August 21, to tout its “benefits for hardworking American families and businesses.” However, Enten was skeptical, saying, “Truthfully, JD Vance, good luck to you, buddy.”

The rebranding effort comes amid broader administration struggles, including the Epstein files controversy, protests against Trump’s D.C. policing crackdown, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s scandals.

Why It Matters

The bill’s unpopularity has galvanized opposition, with Democrats leveraging it to paint Trump’s agenda as harmful. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have maintained disciplined messaging, circulating a 2026 midterm strategy memo to keep the bill’s consequences in the headlines.

Protests, like those chanting “Trump Must Go” outside the White House, reflect growing public frustration, amplified by liberal commentators like Harry Sisson, who posted on X, “More and more people are turning on Trump, and it’s only going to get worse.”

On X, reactions to Enten’s analysis were polarized. “The Big Beautiful Bill is a disaster—Harry’s numbers don’t lie,” one user wrote, while a Trump supporter countered, “The bill’s tax cuts help families, but CNN won’t admit it.” The debate mirrors broader tensions over Trump’s leadership, with incidents like Matt Gaetz’s AI image blunder and Ghislaine Maxwell’s prison transfer fueling perceptions of a chaotic administration.

The bill’s unpopularity, surpassing even the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (minus 19 points) and Obamacare (minus 8 points), marks it as a historic outlier, according to George Washington University professor Chris Warshaw.

“I went back. I looked at every single major piece of legislation that was passed since 1990. The most unpopular bill that was passed, guess what it is. It’s the big, beautiful bill. Even worse than Obamacare.”@ForecasterEnten tells us something we don’t know about how… pic.twitter.com/6nApLHkU76

— Erin Burnett OutFront (@OutFrontCNN) August 20, 2025

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What’s Next?

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s dismal polling could reshape the 2026 midterms, with Democrats eyeing gains in the House and Senate. Betting markets give them a 71% chance of retaking the House, as voters react to the bill’s Medicaid cuts and deficit concerns. The administration’s rebranding push may mitigate some damage, but GOP strategists privately admit difficulty in defending the legislation, with one telling TIME, “I’m all ears if you have an idea.”

For Trump and Vance, the challenge is to shift public perception before the bill’s economic impacts—projected to reduce Medicaid coverage for millions—become tangible. Meanwhile, Democrats, bolstered by Barack Obama’s return and grassroots efforts like “Free DC,” are capitalizing on the bill’s unpopularity to mobilize voters. The controversy also intersects with global concerns, as Trump’s tariff policies and Putin summit draw scrutiny, further complicating the GOP’s narrative.

As Vance tours battleground states, the bill’s fate will test the administration’s ability to navigate a skeptical electorate. If Enten’s analysis holds, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” could become a defining liability, potentially costing Republicans their congressional majorities and reshaping the political landscape in 2026 and beyond.