Trump takes a beating from his own party amid Epstein files release and tariffs rebuke

• Six House Republicans defied Trump by voting to overturn tariffs on Canada, while the GOP can only afford to lose one vote on party-line measures, demonstrating weakened party discipline on his signature economic policy
• Senator Tillis is blocking Trump's Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh until DOJ drops its investigation of current chair Jerome Powell, with multiple Banking Committee Republicans stating they don't believe Powell committed a crime
• Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admitted visiting Epstein's island in 2012 following DOJ's release of millions of Epstein files, intensifying scrutiny of administration officials' connections to the convicted predator

Summary

President Donald Trump faces growing internal Republican opposition as his approval ratings decline ahead of midterm elections. Six House Republicans voted to overturn Trump's Canadian tariffs, while Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) is blocking Trump's Federal Reserve nominations in protest of a DOJ investigation into current Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

Key Developments:

• Tariff Rebellion: GOP House members publicly defied Trump's signature economic policy on Canadian goods, with Republicans able to afford only one defection on party-line votes
• Immigration Pullback: Border czar Tom Homan ended Minnesota's immigration enforcement "surge" after public backlash; new polling shows most Americans believe deportation tactics went too far
• Epstein Files: DOJ released millions of files on Jeffrey Epstein, revealing ties to administration officials including Commerce Secretary who admitted visiting Epstein's island in 2012
• Fed Investigation: DOJ probe of Powell draws Republican criticism over central bank independence concerns; Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott stated he doesn't believe Powell committed crimes

Political Implications:

Trump struggles with low approval ratings, particularly on economic issues amid persistent high prices. Democrats gained momentum following strong off-year election performance, with polls favoring them to win House control in midterms. A racist social media post from Trump's account last week drew bipartisan condemnation, including from close ally Sen. Tim Scott.

A federal grand jury rejected prosecutors' attempt to indict six Democratic lawmakers Trump accused of sedition—a rare occurrence signaling potential institutional resistance.

The administration's attempts to highlight economic gains have been overshadowed by multiple controversies and declining party cohesion.