Dozens Of House Republicans Break With Trump, But Fail to Override Two Vetoes

While both vetoes on the bills were sustained, President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign two bills that initially passed unanimously sparked accusations of political retribution.

Lauren Boebert, R-Colo

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo. sponsored one of the bills that President Trump vetoed, and raised questions about whether the motivation to block water projects for her rural district was in retaliation for her support of releasing the Epstein files. J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Dozens of Republicans voted to override two of President Donald Trump’s vetoes Thursday. It was the first time this Congress tried, but failed, to block the president when he refused to sign legislation that both chambers approved.

Both vetoes were sustained as neither override received the necessary two-thirds of the chamber’s support. But two dozen Republicans broke with Trump on a bill related to a Florida Native American tribe, and 35 did on a bill that authorized water projects in Colorado.

Surprising many lawmakers, Trump vetoed the two noncontroversial bills at the end of 2025 that passed unanimously in both chambers, sparking speculation of political retribution.