Dozens of House Republicans defy Trump, join Democrats in failed veto override effort
Dozens of House Republicans voted alongside Democrats on Thursday in a failed attempt to override the first — and so far, only — vetoes of President Donald Trump's second term.
Trump has only issued two vetoes thus far since taking office in January 2025.
Both veto override efforts failed, but it's significant that more than 20 Republicans voted to defy Trump's wishes on each measure.
It's a rare rebuke of Trump's actions while in office, particularly notable since Republicans control both chambers of Congress as well.
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One of the bills was the "Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act," led by Trump ally Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.
Thirty-five Republicans joined all 213 Democrats to override Trump's veto of that legislation, but it failed to reach the two-thirds majority necessary to do so.
Boebert's bill was aimed at expanding the availability of fresh water in eastern Colorado, where Boebert's district is located.
In a statement to the House of Representatives last month, Trump called the project "economically unviable" and said his administration was "committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding expensive and unreliable" initiatives.
Trump also called Democrat state Gov. Jared Polis a "bad" leader in an interview with Politico last month explaining the veto.
"This isn't over," Boebert, a staunch ally of the president, posted on X in response to Trump's decision.
She also insinuated in a statement to local outlets that the move could have been in response to her support for releasing the federal government's files on Jeffrey Epstein, writing in part, "I sincerely hope this veto has nothing to do with political retaliation for calling out corruption and demanding accountability."
The second bill Trump vetoed is the "Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act," similarly led by Trump allies in his new home state of Florida.
Twenty-four Republicans joined 212 Democrats in voting to override that veto, but like the first bill, it did not clinch the two-thirds majority necessary to succeed.
That legislation was aimed at formally expanding the territory of the Miccosukee Native American tribe, who primarily reside in the Florida Everglades.
But in his veto explanation, Trump accused the tribe of having "actively sought to obstruct reasonable immigration policies that the American people decisively voted for when I was elected."
"My Administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding projects for special interests, especially those that are unaligned with my Administration’s policy of removing violent criminal illegal aliens from the country. Ending the massive cost of taxpayer handouts and restoring fiscal sanity is vital to economic growth and the fiscal health of the Nation," his statement read.
But Trump's allies struck a different chord, responding to this veto, with Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., telling Punchbowl News that the Senate should "address Trump’s concerns" with the legislation.