Donald Trump started the new year off by issuing two vetoes.
Both of the bills at issue passed through Congress easily, so now there is a movement afoot to override the president's objections.
Not only that, but Trump is seeing some additional resistance regarding the potential renewal of Obamacare subsidies.
The first bill at issue was put forth by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), and it would have facilitated the completion of the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a project that was first approved in 1962 and had continuously run into budget problems.
Trump vetoed this bill on the premise that, in his estimation, the federal government had already funded the project enough, and that the American taxpayer should not have to foot the bill for what is a very localized endeavor.
The second piece of legislation would have given the Miccosukee Tribe in Florida more control over the Everglades to build a new village.
In part, Trump stated that he was vetoing this bill because the tribe had tried to obstruct his immigration agenda.
When the Boebert bill passed, it did so unanimously through the House and Senate.
If you recall, at the time, I stated that there was clearly enough support in both chambers to override the veto, but I wondered whether anyone in leadership had enough courage to dare to cross Trump on the matter.
It appears that there are now enough Republicans willing to test the waters. For instance, Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-OR) responded to the vetoes, saying, “I understand the importance of the pipeline. We’re trying to sort out why the veto. We can’t figure out why the veto. My recollection is that it was an acceptable amount for many reasons.”
Boebert’s override movement is gaining steam, which could position another high-profile MAGA member of Congress against Trump. If she leads this override and it is successful, we all know the venom that the president will send her way. Boebert will suddenly be called a traitor, a low-IQ person, and a host of other insults, which will culminate in Trump pulling his support for her.
As I am writing this report, the House is getting ready to present legislation that would extend Obamacare subsidies for three more years.
Now, had this been a one or even a two-year extension, I think it may have passed the Senate, but three years is a bit much when we already know the waste and fraud that exists in this program.
One of the Republicans working on the deal, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), stated, “We’ve been working with the senators for weeks, and the framework that they are … trying to finalize is very much in line with what I have been saying from the start, about a two-year extension with reforms. I think that’s ultimately where we can get.”
I don’t think this is a reason for MAGA to panic just yet, but I would say that Trump no longer has a death grip on the party. With the 2026 cycle now in full swing, lawmakers are all going into protection mode to preserve their seats. It will be interesting to see if Trump decides to back off or if he does what he usually does, which is disassociate with those who oppose him and try to identify alternative candidates willing to mount primary challenges to the incumbents.
