Six House Republicans joined with Democrats on Wednesday to pass a resolution condemning President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian imports.
The measure passed 219-211 with only one Democrat opposing it. But even if the Senate also approves the resolution, Trump would be sure to veto it five seconds after it touched his desk.
From NBC News:
The measure passed in a 219-211 vote. Only one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, opposed it.
The joint resolution, led by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., will now head to the Senate for consideration.
Trump threatened political retribution Wednesday for any Republicans who oppose his tariff policies.
“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 around the time of the House vote.
The House Republicans who voted for the resolution included Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Kevin Kiley of California, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Dan Newhouse of Washington, Jeff Hurd of Colorado and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania.
BREAKING 🚨 President Trump just THREATENED every Republican in the House and Senate they will be primaried if they vote against his Tariffs
— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) February 11, 2026
MAGA is serious. Enough is enough
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/T8QJ02OkrG
The tariffs came about as part of a more comprehensive trade war after the president imposed sweeping tariffs on multiple nations under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. He claimed the new duties were aimed at compelling Canada to take more action to stop traffickers from smuggling drugs and illegal immigrants into the United States.
Recommended
In February 2025, the president signed executive orders slapping Canada with a 25 percent tariff. Ottawa retaliated with its own 25 percent tariff on American products. Trump responded by threatening to place a 100 percent tariff on certain Canadian imports.
Democrats characterized the vote as a defense of the Constitution and an effort to protect American consumers from paying even higher prices for the goods they consume. They argue that Trump abused his emergency powers to wage a trade war against a close ally.
Several Republicans who broke with Trump on this issue echoed these concerns. Rep. Don Bacon (NE-2) warned that the tariffs were a “net negative” for the economy and insisted that Congress should control tariff policy, not the executive branch.
Congress has Article One Constitutional responsibilities on tariffs. We cannot & should not outsource our responsibilities. As an old fashioned Conservative I know tariffs are a tax on American consumers. I know some disagree. But this debate and vote should occur in the House.
— Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ (@RepDonBacon) February 11, 2026
On the other side of the coin, Republicans supporting the tariffs criticized those who supported the measure, saying they are undermining national security and depriving the president of the leverage he needs to protect public safety.
The overall debate over Trump’s tariffs centers on whether they actually punish foreign governments in a way that would result in better trade conditions for the U.S. or whether they are simply another tax on American consumers. The Tax Foundation found that the tariffs resulted in an average tax increase of about $1,000 per U.S. household in 2025. The burden is expected to rise to about $1,300 this year if the tariffs remain in place.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Townhall’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member