Trump: Republicans Who Vote Against Tariffs Will Pay

Six House Republicans bucked their party and President Trump on tariffs Wednesday, and the president is threatening payback. "Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!" the president wrote in a Truth Social post Wednesday evening, per the Hill. His threat came after the six GOP lawmakers joined Democrats in voting to roll back tariffs on Canada, though the measure was largely symbolic—Trump can veto it if the legislation manages to pass the Senate.

Still, expect the issue to remain in play going forward. Symbolic or not, Democrats plan to keep calling votes on tariffs in order to put Republicans—particularly those in vulnerable districts—on record, notes Politico. "If Republicans think this is such a great idea, then they can vote to support the tariffs," said Rep. Suzan DelBene, who leads the House Democratic campaign arm. "But … we're going to make sure that they're accountable for their votes."

The six who voted with Democrats are Reps. Don Bacon, Kevin Kiley, Thomas Massie, Jeff Hurd, Brian Fitzpatrick, and Dan Newhouse. Hurd's Colorado district in particular includes farmers and manufacturers hurt by tariffs, notes Politico. Republican defenders, meanwhile, see the votes as political stunts by Democrats. In his Truth Social post, Trump argued tariffs deliver both economic leverage and national security. However, the Democratic Governors Association framed Wednesday's vote as Republicans siding with higher consumer costs.