The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Wednesday evening (local time) to repeal the tariffs that President Donald Trump had imposed on Canada. Six members of Trump’s own party, the Republicans, joined opposition Democrats, creating a majority of 219 to 211. In Trump’s second term it has been unusual for his party’s representatives to challenge core initiatives of his administration, and it remains uncertain whether the Republican‑dominated Senate will also grant the necessary majority to halt the Canada tariffs.
Trump reacted to the vote-something the party leadership had previously sought to prevent-by issuing threats. “Any Republican in the House or Senate who votes against tariffs will face serious consequences in the elections, including the primaries” he wrote on his personal platform. He claimed that tariffs had brought the U.S. “economic and national security benefits” and that no Republican should be held responsible for destroying those advantages.
Trump also accused Canada of exploiting the United States, describing the country as “among the worst in the world to deal with, especially regarding our northern border”.
Meanwhile, the United States is still waiting for a decision from the Supreme Court on Trump’s tariff policy. Central to the case is whether Trump is responsible for the import duties, given that Article I of the U.S. Constitution delegates tax authority to Congress. Exceptions exist in statutes that allow the President to impose tariffs in specific circumstances-for example, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that Trump cited. In a recent hearing, the nine justices largely expressed skepticism about the tariffs, but historically, a majority of the six justices chosen by Trump and his Republican predecessors have eventually tipped in favor of the president’s position after a critical examination.