We have breaking news this evening. The Trump Administration has suffered two major setbacks, one in the Senate and another in the courts. A third challenge may soon emerge in the House, where fractures within the Republican caucus are growing more visible by the day. Here’s a full breakdown of what has unfolded in just the past hour.
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Now, here’s what you missed in the past hour:
Senate Republicans Defy Trump on Trade
In a rare show of defiance, Senate Republicans joined Democrats on Tuesday to rebuke President Donald Trump’s trade strategy. The upper chamber voted to advance a resolution curbing Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose steep 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian imports. The measure, introduced by Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, passed 52 to 48, marking a symbolic but significant rejection of the president’s unilateral approach to trade.
Five Republicans—Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina—broke ranks to support the resolution. Their decision came despite Vice President JD Vance’s warning during a closed-door GOP luncheon earlier in the day that voting against the president’s tariff policy would be seen as disloyal.
The resolution’s future remains uncertain, however. It cannot be considered by the House until early next year, following a procedural rule recently passed by House Republicans that restricts tariff-related legislation until January. Even so, Tuesday’s vote represents one of the sharpest public rebukes of Trump’s economic policies from within his own party since he took office.
Court Blocks Trump’s Portland Troop Deployment
Just minutes ago, Trump’s plan to deploy federal troops to Portland suffered another blow in the courts. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals announced that its full en banc bench will rehear the case, vacating a three-judge panel’s earlier decision that had paused a lower court’s restraining order. As a result, the original injunction blocking the activation of troops remains in place for now.
The ruling marks a significant legal setback for the administration, which has argued that the president has broad constitutional authority to deploy federal forces to quell unrest. Civil rights groups and state officials, however, have accused the White House of overreach and of using federal power to intimidate protesters. The en banc review signals that the judiciary continues to take these constitutional challenges seriously.
Republican Turmoil Deepens in the House
The third front in the Trump Administration’s troubles is forming within the House of Representatives. Speaker Mike Johnson is under increasing strain as Republican divisions widen over how to manage the ongoing government shutdown. Lawmakers from across the GOP conference have expressed frustration with Johnson’s decision to keep the House out of session while critical funding deadlines loom.
Representative Dan Crenshaw has publicly questioned the speaker’s leadership choices, while Democrats, led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have accused Johnson of shirking responsibility by repeatedly canceling votes. The tension has spilled into public view, with several heated exchanges reported on Capitol Hill. The mood inside the caucus is growing more volatile as the economic consequences of the shutdown continue to ripple across the country.
A Party Under Pressure
Taken together, these developments paint a picture of a party under mounting strain. The Senate’s defiance, the court’s pushback, and the internal fractures within the House all signal a growing resistance to Trump’s influence. While the president still commands deep loyalty among his base, the day’s events suggest that cracks in that unity are beginning to widen.
With the government shutdown dragging on, economic pressure intensifying, and key policy battles unresolved, Washington is bracing for an even more turbulent political season ahead.