U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tax bill failed to clear a key procedural hurdle on Friday, as hardline Republicans demanding deeper spending cuts blocked the measure in a rare political setback for the Republican president in Congress.

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s push to pass a sweeping tax and spending bill — the centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s agenda — is running into trouble, as the Louisiana Republican attempts to paper over divisions in his conference over growing deficits, cuts to Medicaid and contentious tax provisions.

The hard-right lawmakers are insisting on steeper spending cuts to Medicaid and the Biden-era green energy tax breaks, among other changes, before they will give their support to President Trump’s bill.