The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Wednesday evening to lift the tariffs that President Donald Trump had imposed on Canada. Six Republican members joined the opposition Democrats, creating a 219‑to‑211 majority. During Trump’s second term it has been rare for his own party’s legislators to oppose key initiatives of his administration. Whether the Senate-also controlled by Republicans-will approve the tariff repeal remains uncertain.
Trump reacted to the vote, which the party leadership had tried to block, with sharp threats. “Every Republican in the House or Senate who votes against tariffs will face serious consequences in the elections, including the primaries” he posted on his personal platform. He said tariffs had brought “economic and national security” to the United States, and that no Republican should be held responsible for destroying that advantage.
He accused Canada of exploiting the United States, calling it one of the worst countries to deal with, especially regarding the northern border.
Meanwhile, the United States is still waiting for a decision from the Supreme Court on Trump’s tariff policy. The key question is whether Trump has the authority to impose import duties, as Article I of the U.S. Constitution assigns taxation powers to Congress. Certain statutes, such as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, allow the president to impose tariffs in specific situations. In a recent hearing, the nine justices largely expressed skepticism about the tariffs. However, it would not be the first time that a majority of the justices-six of whom were chosen by Trump and his Republican predecessors-shifted to support the president’s position after a critical hearing.
