The House of Representatives voted this Wednesday in favor of reversing the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on Canada, in an unusual —though mostly symbolic— bipartisan rebuke of one of the flagship policies of the White House.
The resolution, according to The Associated Press, was approved by a vote of 219 in favor and 211 against, with Republicans joining Democrats despite the objections of Republican Party leaders.
According to the document, this is one of the first occasions when the House —controlled by the Republicans— confronts the president over a key measure of his agenda.
The resolution seeks to end the national emergency that Trump declared to impose the tariffs.
However, the text itself emphasizes that reversing the policy would require the president's support, which is deemed highly unlikely. After its approval in the House, the initiative will move on to the Senate.
Trump defends tariffs as a tool to pressure America's trade partners into negotiating, but lawmakers are facing a climate of internal instability, with businesses caught in trade wars and voters struggling with economic issues and high prices.
During the debate, Representative Gregory Meeks (Democrat from New York), identified as the highest-ranking Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the author of the resolution, presented the vote as a dilemma regarding the cost of living: “Will you vote to reduce the cost of living for American families, or will you keep prices high out of loyalty to one person: Donald J. Trump?” he said.
The upper chamber voted twice last year to prevent Trump from imposing tariffs on Canada, with four Republicans joining the Democrats to approve the measures.
Moments before the voting concluded, Trump threatened Republicans if they distanced themselves from him on tariff issues, warning that any legislator who voted against his tariff policies "will face serious consequences in the elections, including the primaries!"
"The tariffs have provided us with economic and national security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege," he wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The president stated that his policies have strengthened both the economic security and national security of the country and emphasized that no Republican should take responsibility for undermining those achievements.
The statement has heightened internal pressure within the Republican Party and makes it clear that support for the presidential agenda will be a key point in the electoral landscape.
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