Trump’s influence inside the Republican Party is starting to slip, and it is happening in plain sight.
House Republicans are now preparing to move against him in a way that almost never happens. They are lining up to challenge his vetoes, even though he is still president and their party controls Congress.
That alone says a lot.
Multiple lawmakers told Politico that House leaders believe they have the votes to override Trump’s vetoes. That takes a two-thirds majority, something presidents usually never face from their own party. Politico called the move a “rare rebuke” of the president, highlighting growing tension within the GOP.
But this is not an everyday occurrence.
The bills Trump vetoed were not controversial. They passed the House and Senate with support from both Republicans and Democrats.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
One bill dealt with land in the Florida Everglades. It would have added protected land for the Miccosukee Tribe and helped prevent flooding damage in the area.
Another bill focused on water. It would have finished a long-delayed pipeline project meant to deliver clean drinking water to about 50,000 people in southeastern Colorado.
Trump shut both down.
That decision quickly caused anger across Capitol Hill.
Florida Democrat Darren Soto suggested Trump’s veto of the Everglades bill was not about policy at all. He pointed to the Miccosukee Tribe joining a lawsuit against the “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center planned for the Everglades.
Then came the real shock.
The strongest pushback came from inside Trump’s own party.
Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert questioned why Trump would block a water project that directly helped his own voters. She openly raised the possibility that the veto was personal.
Her message left little room for confusion.
“… Trump decided to veto … a bipartisan bill that passed both the House and Senate unanimously. Why? Because nothing says ‘America First’ like denying clean drinking water to 50,000 people in Southeast Colorado, many of whom enthusiastically voted for him in all three elections,” Boebert said.
She went even further.
“… I sincerely hope this veto has nothing to do with political retaliation for calling out corruption and demanding accountability. Americans deserve leadership that puts people over politics.”
That kind of language from a Republican lawmaker is rare.
It shows how far things have shifted. Trump is now facing public resistance from people who once followed him without question.
House leaders expect several Republicans to side with Democrats when the override vote happens. Even if the effort fails in the Senate, the damage is already done.
The message will be clear.
Trump can be challenged.
Vetoes themselves are uncommon. Trump only used them 10 times during his first term, all when Democrats controlled the House. These are the first vetoes of his second term and the first issued while Republicans hold power across government.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
