US lawmakers in the House of Representatives voted Wednesday to reject President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods, delivering the Republican leader’s last-laugh threat of electoral consequences for his party and a rare rebuke to his signature economic policies.
US President Donald Trump (Bloomberg)The proposal brought by Democrats was approved by a vote of 219 to 211, with six Republicans joining the effort. Even if it passes the US Senate, it will likely face a veto from Trump, AFP reported.
Trump made clear, during the vote, that there would be political consequences for any Republicans who cross him on tariffs.
“Any Republican, in the House or Senate, who votes against the tariff will suffer serious consequences at the polls, and that includes primaries!” Trump wrote in a social media post. “TARIFFS have given us economic and national security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege,” he said in a post on True Social.
Trump has threatened to veto similar measures, making it unlikely the legislation will ever become law. But the defection of six Republicans, along with opposition from nearly all Democrats, points to Trump’s increasingly tenuous hold on the House majority.
The measure’s passage comes as Trump personally signed the US-Mexico-Canada trade deal in his first term, which will worsen trade tensions in North America. About 80% of goods imported from Canada meet USMCA criteria and are exempt from tariffs.
