WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fallout continued in Washington Thursday following a bipartisan rebuke in Congress that could shake up President Trump’s trade strategy.
Wednesday evening, the Republican-controlled House took a rare step, voting to rein in a key part of President Trump’s trade agenda — zeroing in on tariffs he slapped on Canadian imports over the past year.
In a bipartisan vote — 219 to 211 — six House Republicans joined all but one Democrat in approving a resolution that would undo the 25% tariff on Canadian goods — and with it, the national emergency President Trump invoked to justify them.
The 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act has historically been used for sanctions — but never before to set sweeping tariffs. Last year, President Trump argued Canada wasn’t doing enough to combat fentanyl trafficking into the U.S. and invoked the emergency 1977, Cold War-era law.
But critics of the president’s use of the law — including now some Republicans — believe it’s gone too far, especially against the U.S. neighbor to the north.
“I think under the Constitution, Article One, Section Eight is clear that this authority resides with Congress,” said Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-Colo. “And I worry about the precedent that we might be setting if there’s a Democratic president.”
“There’s a lot that we need to be doing — there are a lot of trade imbalances and trade abuses that are happening. But we need to do it the right way, consistent with the Constitution,” said Hurd, adding that the tariffs on Canadian imports continue to have an adverse effect on his constituents.
“I’ve heard clearly from small and large manufacturers, as well as agricultural producers, that these tariffs are hurting them — that certainly weighed in, in my vote on this. The folks that I represent, they’re the ones that vote for me, no one here in Washington, D.C. votes for me,” Hurd added.
President Trump urged Republican lawmakers to support his tariff authority, and threatened election consequences, like primary challenges.
“Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against tariffs will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!” Trump said on Truth Social. “In addition, tariffs have given us Great National Security because the mere mention of the word has Countries agreeing to our strongest wishes. Tariffs have given us Economic and National Security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege,” he added.
Some Republicans criticized Democrats and the six Republican colleagues.
“It’s pretty outrageous that six Republicans voted along with them,” said Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa.
Rep. Meuser warned that in a volatile world, with threats from adversaries, sanctions and tariffs are a vital tool that should be at the president’s disposal.
“We’ve got rogue countries like Iran with situations like Venezuela. Anything could happen. The idea of removing the national emergency powers and leaving it to debate in there [the House], that’s unbelievable,” said Meuser.
The Senate has already passed a similar resolution to block the tariffs, but even if it approves the House resolution too, President Trump will likely veto it. A veto override would need a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, which is very unlikely.
“I’m disappointed in the vote, but the president has veto power and there’s not a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override a veto,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “It’s not going to change the policy in the end anyway. But I think this is a fruitless exercise and a pointless one, and I’m disappointed that.”
