House Rule Vote Delayed as GOP Threatens Revolt on Tariffs (1)

House GOP leaders delayed a procedural vote by seven hours Tuesday as some Republican members threatened to revolt over a leadership push to block politically tricky votes on President Donald Trump’s economic policies.

The rule vote, which would allow debate and votes on bills unrelated to tariffs, includes language blessed by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) that would block members from triggering Trump tariff votes until July 31. The House has previously passed similar language that’s set to expire Wednesday without GOP action.

House moderates in swing districts may feel pressured to separate themselves from Trump’s most controversial economic policies before midterm elections in November, but bucking him could bear its own political retribution from the president.

Lawmakers had been slated to vote on the rule at 1:30 p.m., but party whips moved it to 8:30 p.m. amid concerns from lawmakers including fiscal hawk Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and moderate Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.). Rules votes typically fall along party lines, and Republicans can only afford to lose one vote if there is full House attendance given their slim 218-214 majority.

House leaders previously whipped Republicans into supporting similar language by moving its expiration up to late January, from late March. “I doubt it,” Kiley said when asked if GOP leaders could secure his vote by shortening the prohibition period again.

Some other moderates were swayed by Johnson’s argument that the House should wait for the Supreme Court to rule on Trump’s tariffs before taking its own votes.

“We’ll deal with this once the courts weigh in,” said Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), who represents one of the House’s most competitive districts.

Johnson earlier Tuesday projected confidence that the House could advance the rule with the tariff language, but the rescheduling indicates GOP leaders are having trouble whipping votes. House Democrats called on moderate Republicans to stand their ground in opposing the rule, while noting that they’ve folded in similar positions before.

“If you vote for the rule, you own these tariffs,” said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.). “And even worse than that, if you vote for this rule, you’re trying to eliminate our ability to even discuss this.”