Dozens of House Republicans defy Trump, join Democrats in failed veto override effort
Several House Republicans join Democrats in a failed effort to override Trump vetoes in rare rebuke, challenging Colorado water project and Florida tribal decisions.
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Dozens of House Republicans voted alongside Democrats on Thursday in a failed attempt to override the first — and so far, only — vetoes of President Donald Trump's second term.
Trump has only issued two vetoes thus far since taking office in January 2025.
Both veto override efforts failed, but it's significant that more than 20 Republicans voted to defy Trump's wishes on each measure.
It's a rare rebuke of Trump's actions while in office, particularly notable since Republicans control both chambers of Congress as well.
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President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla, on Jan. 3, 2026. (Nicole Combeau/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
One of the bills was the "Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act," led by Trump ally Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.
Thirty-five Republicans joined all 213 Democrats to override Trump's veto of that legislation, but it failed to reach the two-thirds majority necessary to do so.
Boebert's bill was aimed at expanding the availability of fresh water in eastern Colorado, where Boebert's district is located.
In a statement to the House of Representatives last month, Trump called the project "economically unviable" and said his administration was "committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding expensive and unreliable" initiatives.
Trump also called Democrat state Gov. Jared Polis a "bad" leader in an interview with Politico last month explaining the veto.
