The US House of Representatives has backed the repeal of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on Canadian goods, in a symbolic move that could be hampered by Senate debates and the possibility of a presidential veto.
Published on: 02/12/2026 - 03:42
The US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to repeal President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods, in a move that saw a number of Republican lawmakers defy his warnings about "electoral consequences" if they sided with Democrats.
The draft resolution proposed by the Democrats received the support of 219 deputies, including six Republicans, against the opposition of 211 deputies.
This step remains largely symbolic in nature, as any cancellation of tariffs imposed by Trump, whether on Canada or other trading partners, requires the approval of the Senate and the signature of the US President.
Although the project could theoretically cross the Senate hurdle, Trump’s signing of it seems unlikely, and Congress obtaining the two-thirds majority necessary to override a presidential veto is unlikely.
Trump tried to influence the course of the vote in the last moments, directing a direct political threat to Republican Party representatives before the start of the session in the House of Representatives.
Read also: Trump warns Canada about a trade agreement with China and threatens a “very strong” American response
He wrote on his platform, Truth Social: “Any Republican, in the House or Senate, who votes against tariffs will suffer dire consequences when election time comes.”
He added in the same post, “Tariffs have given us economic and national security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege.”
This move came from the House of Representatives after the expiration of a measure that prohibited votes on tariffs in the House, which was hindering Democrats from confronting Trump’s trade policies.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a close ally of Trump, failed to renew this ban on Tuesday, after three Republican representatives voted with Democrats to overturn it.
Canada is one of the countries affected by the waves of tariffs imposed by Trump since his return to office early last year, as are other trading partners of the United States.
However, broad exemptions for Canadian goods have mitigated the impact of these measures.
Last year, Trump imposed tariffs of 35% on many Canadian products, while keeping lower duties on energy imports, in addition to exceptions for goods included in the trade agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada.
However, the separate tariffs that affected specific sectors, such as automobiles, steel, and aluminum, had a severe impact on the Canadian economy.
These fees also face a complex legal process, as the US Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on their legality in the coming period.
A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center and published this month showed that 60% of Americans disapprove of the high levels of tariffs imposed by Trump.
France 24/AFP
Keywords related to the article
The content you want to browse is no longer in service or is currently unavailable.
