2025-04-09T17:18:21Z

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In a significant move, House Speaker Mike Johnson, alongside Republican leaders, is taking steps to further protect President Donald Trump's controversial tariffs from facing congressional disapproval. This development marks the second time GOP leaders have sought to insulate these tariffs from potential legislative challenges, indicating the continuing influence of Trump's economic policies within the party.

On Wednesday, Republican leaders included a specific provision within an unrelated legislative measure designed to bolster protections for Trump's Liberation Day tariffs. By doing so, they aimed to hinder any efforts to contest the national emergency that Trump previously declared, allowing him to unilaterally impose these sweeping tariffs. This action comes just ahead of Trump's announcement regarding a temporary 90-day pause on the elevated tariffs for most countries, a move that sent Wall Street's stock market soaring as investors responded positively to the news.

The procedural measure passed narrowly in the House, with a vote tally of 216 to 215. Notably, three Republican representativesThomas Massie from Kentucky, Victoria Spartz from Indiana, and Mike Turner from Ohiodefied their party by voting against the measure. Their dissent highlights the tension within the GOP regarding Trump's trade policies, which have drawn criticism and concern from various factions within the party.

Despite the internal divisions, Johnson and his fellow Republicans have effectively shielded Trump's trade agenda amidst growing discontent among Republican lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol. Meanwhile, seven GOP senators have rallied behind a separate bill aimed at curtailing presidential authority over tariff policies. However, Trump has indicated he would veto this legislation, underscoring the ongoing conflict between executive power and congressional authority in trade matters.

According to the National Emergency Act, Congress possesses the ability to terminate national emergencies through a joint resolution, although the president retains veto power over such terminations. Importantly, the 1976 legislation allows these votes to be designated as privileged, enabling them to bypass typical procedural roadblocks that Republican leaders might otherwise deploy to prevent them from reaching the House floor. Yet, the law stipulates specific timeframes for action, and the GOP's newly introduced provision would effectively halt the countdown for initiating a vote until the end of September.

By incorporating this policy into a critical procedural step for Trump's budget resolution, Johnson has effectively compelled his colleagues to accept the tariff provision. Failure to do so could jeopardize the passage of essential measures aimed at advancing Trump's ambitious "Big Beautiful Bill," which encompasses tax cuts and immigration reformtwo major priorities for the current administration.

This strategic maneuver mirrors a similar approach Johnson and his team employed earlier this year. In March, they successfully protected an earlier round of Trump tariffs by embedding a provision within a procedural bill, which was designed to avert a potential government shutdown.

Prior to the vote, Rep. Thomas Massie publicly questioned the lack of a direct House vote on tariffs, expressing his frustration on social media platform X. He criticized Johnsons reliance on Rules Committee resolutions, suggesting that such tactics circumvent established U.S. law that mandates congressional votes on tariffs.

As the legislative session continues, the House is anticipated to vote later in the evening on the full approval of the budget plan backed by Trump, a move that may further solidify the administration's approach to economic policy and trade in the months ahead.