President Trump’s recent vetoes of two bipartisan measures — one tied to a water-pipeline project and another affecting tribal-related land issues in Florida’s Everglades — have sharpened questions about how he will work with Congress in 2026, according to an NPR interview with Cook Political Report editor Jessica Taylor.
Congress returns to work on Monday, January 5, 2026, facing renewed strain in its relationship with President Trump after he vetoed two bipartisan measures and said publicly he does not want to deal with lawmakers.
In an NPR interview aired January 2, host Michel Martin and Jessica Taylor, the Cook Political Report’s Senate and governors editor, discussed the vetoes — one involving a water-pipeline project and another concerning tribal control in part of the Florida Everglades.
Taylor argued the vetoes carried an implicit warning to lawmakers. “If you don’t bend to my will, then there is retribution in this,” she said. Taylor added that Trump has cited fiscal concerns, but she pointed to his social media posts and his frustration with Colorado’s Democratic governor, Jared Polis. In the interview, Taylor said Trump has sought to free Tina Peters, a local election official who is incarcerated for state crimes related to the 2020 election; Taylor also said Trump has tried to pardon Peters “on a federal level,” while noting Peters is jailed for state offenses.
On the Florida-related veto, Taylor said the affected tribe has opposed the measure, arguing that a site it refers to as “Alligator Alcatraz” is on its lands.
Taylor said it would be a notable break for House Speaker Mike Johnson — a Trump ally — to move forward with an effort to override either veto. She cited recent procedural pressure from rank-and-file House members, pointing to Epstein files being brought to the floor through a discharge petition despite leadership opposition.
Taylor also pointed to resistance within the Senate. She said Trump has pushed to eliminate the filibuster, but Senate Leader John Thune has called that a “nonstarter,” arguing Republicans view the filibuster as a key protection when they are in the minority.
The interview also touched on fractures within the GOP. Taylor said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — once a prominent Trump supporter — has broken with him and is leaving Congress. Martin noted that Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination to be U.N. ambassador was pulled out of concern about the party’s thin House majority, and Taylor said Stefanik is also leaving.
Taylor described Trump’s approach to allies as transactional. “Trump’s loyalty is a one-way street,” she said.
Looking ahead, Taylor said Trump appears increasingly focused on the 2026 midterm elections, including efforts linked to redistricting. She also said Indiana state lawmakers recently declined to pass a bill Trump wanted. Taylor warned that a Democratic House after the midterms could use subpoena power to launch investigations, arguing that the final two years of Trump’s term could become significantly more difficult if Democrats take control of Congress.
