Trump defiance votes
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House GOP leaders are teeing up a vote Thursday to override the first two vetoes of President Trump's second term.
Why it matters: It's unusual for the Republican-led Congress to openly defy Trump.
- The measures are expected to pass the House with bipartisan support, two sources told us. Given Trump's vetoes, some Republicans could peel off after initially backing the bills.
- Overriding the vetoes would require a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate — a rarely met threshold.
Driving the news: Trump rejected a measure to ease payments for a long-planned water pipeline supporting southeastern Colorado and another that would have expanded the Miccosukee Tribe's reserved area in the Florida Everglades, the White House announced last week.
- Both bills cleared Capitol Hill in December with bipartisan support. Politico first reported that the House would vote to override the vetoes.
Zoom in: The Miccosukee Tribe has been at odds with the White House over its plans to build its "Alligator Alcatraz" immigrant detention center.
- Florida lawmakers in both chambers backed the bill. Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) said it was about "fairness and conservation."
- In his veto notice, Trump accused the tribe of obstructing his immigration policies and said the bill benefited "special interests."
The water pipeline legislation, championed by Colorado lawmakers, would provide drinking water to communities in southeastern Colorado, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.
- But Trump said the bill would "continue the failed policies of the past by forcing Federal taxpayers to bear even more of the massive costs of a local water project." He added: "Enough is enough."
What they're saying: "This isn't over," Trump ally Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) posted on X after his veto. The water pipeline project sits in Boebert's district.
- A White House spokesperson referred us to Trump's statement on the veto when asked for comment on Boebert's reaction.
Between the lines: It's the latest example of Trump's clashes with MAGA women.
- Boebert defied Trump late last year when she became one of four House Republicans to sign a discharge petition forcing a vote on releasing Epstein-related files — despite White House pressure to withdraw her name.
— Kate Santaliz
