The Trump administration is bracing for a "substantial" Republican mutiny as the House prepares to vote Wednesday on overturning the president's controversial Canadian tariffs.
A White House insider admitted to Politico that they expect the effort to block the measure to fail spectacularly.
Rather than fighting tooth-and-nail to keep Republicans in line, the administration is shifting strategy—now focused on preventing a veto override instead of securing a majority.
"The new number is two-thirds, and not whether or not you get a majority," the official acknowledged, recognizing that Republicans fundamentally oppose the tariff agenda.
The concession underscores simmering GOP frustration with Trump's tariff crusade launched last spring. While Senate Republicans have repeatedly voted to block various tariffs, Speaker Mike Johnson has blocked similar House votes through parliamentary maneuvers.
The news comes after House Republicans suffered a surprise setback Tuesday night when three members broke ranks to defeat a procedural rule designed to block votes challenging Trump’s tariff policies.