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On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to slap the president back Donald Trump‘with customs for Canadaa rare, though mostly symbolic reproach The white house agenda as Republicans joined Democrats over the objections of GOP leadership.
The tally, 219-211, was among the first times the Republican-controlled House of Representatives confronted the president over the signature policy and drew immediate accusations from Trump himself. The resolution seeks to end a state of emergency that Trump has declared to impose tariffs, although actually reversing the policy would require the president’s support, which is highly unlikely. Then it goes to the Senate.
Trump believes in the power of tariffs to force America’s trading partners to the negotiating table. But lawmakers face unrest at home from companies caught up in trade wars and voters navigating pocketbook issues and high prices.
“Today’s vote is simple, very simple: Will you vote to lower the cost of living for the American family, or will you keep prices high out of loyalty to one person — Donald J. Trump?” said Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who authored the resolution.
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Within minutes of the gavel coming down, Trump issued a stark warning to those in the Republican Party who would dare cross him.
“Any Republican, in the House or Senate, who votes against TARIFFs will suffer serious consequences come election time, and that includes the primaries!” the president announced on social networks.
The high-stakes moment provides a snapshot of the House’s unease with the president’s direction, especially ahead of the midterm elections as economic issues resonate with voters. The Senate has already voted to reject Trump’s tariffs on Canada and other countries in a show of displeasure. But both chambers would have to approve the tariff rollback and send the resolution to Trump for the president’s signature — or veto it.
Six Republicans from the House voted for the resolution, and one Democrat was against.
From Ontario, Canada, Premier Doug Ford called the vote “an important victory with more work to do” on social media. He thanked lawmakers from both parties “who have stood in support of free trade and economic growth between our two great countries. Let’s eliminate tariffs and build a more prosperous and secure future together.”
Trump recently threatened to impose 100% tariffs on goods imported from Canada over the country’s proposed trade deal with China, intensifying a feud with the longtime US ally and Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson tried to prevent this showdown.
Johnson insisted that lawmakers wait for the Supreme Court’s pending decision in the tariff lawsuit. He devised a complicated rule change to prevent action on the floor. But Johnson’s strategy suffered a setback Tuesday night, as Republicans backed down during a procedural vote to ensure the Democratic measure could advance.
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“The president’s trade policy has been very beneficial,” said Johnson, R-La. “And I think the feeling is that we’re allowing a little more runway to work this out between the executive branch and the judicial branch.”
Late Tuesday night, Johnson could be seen talking to staunch Republican lawmakers as the GOP leadership team scrambled to win support during a lengthy procedural vote, but the numbers were against him.
“We are disappointed,” Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, told reporters at the White House on Wednesday morning. “The president will make sure that his tariffs are not lifted.”
The resolution proposed by Meeks would end the national emergency that Trump declared a year ago as one of his executive orders.
The administration has argued that the illegal flow of drugs from Canada poses an unusual and extraordinary threat that allows the president to impose tariffs on imported goods outside the terms of the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
The Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, said the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. is an extreme national emergency and the policy must be left in place.
“Let’s clarify again what this resolution is and what it is not. It’s not a debate about tariffs. You can talk about them, but that’s not really what it is,” Mast said. “These are Democrats trying to ignore that there is a fentanyl crisis.”
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Experts say fentanyl produced by cartels in Mexico is mostly smuggled into the US from land crossings in California and Arizona. Fentanyl is also produced in Canada and smuggled into the US, but to a much lesser extent.
Ahead of the vote, some regular Republican lawmakers expressed unease about the upcoming election as Democrats — and a few renegade Republicans — pressed their colleagues on the need to expand their power as a legislative branch rather than cede so much power to the president to take over trade and tariff policy.
Tail. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said Johnson’s call did not convince him to wait until the Supreme Court rules on the legality of Trump’s tariffs. He voted to pass.
“Why doesn’t Congress stand on its own two feet and say we are an independent branch?” Bacon said. “We should defend our authorities. I hope the Supreme Court does that, but if we don’t, shame on us.”
Bacon, who is retiring and not up for re-election, also argued that tariffs are bad economic policy.
Other Republicans had to make up their minds quickly after Johnson’s gambit — which would have paused calendar days to prevent the measure from coming up — was pushed back.
“At the end of the day, we’re going to have to support our president,” said Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said he did not want to tie the president’s hands on trade and would support tariffs on Canada “at this time.”
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
