Thirteen Republican senators voted with Democrats in December to roll back one of President Donald Trump’s most aggressive executive orders, restoring collective bargaining rights for more than a million federal workers and exposing visible cracks inside the GOP.
The vote took down Trump’s order limiting federal employee unions, a move the White House had framed as a cost-saving reform. Instead, it became a rare public rebuke from members of Trump’s own party, several of whom are now facing increasingly competitive races ahead of the 2026 midterms .
Among those Republicans were a group of nine senators frequently described by conservative media as the “Montana Nine,” a bloc that has begun voting against Trump-backed priorities with unusual consistency. While they represent different states, their voting pattern reflects a shared political reality: large numbers of federal workers live in their states, and many are union members.
Nine Republican Montana state senators voted with 18 Democrats to form a new majority to pass major legislation last session, undermining the influence of the ultra-conservative caucus of the state’s GOP.
Dubbed “The Nasty Nine,” the Republican senators were censured by their… pic.twitter.com/LyhRJcwuXj
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) December 29, 2025
Fox News reported that 14 Republicans voted to advance the repeal, allowing it to clear a key procedural hurdle alongside every Democrat in the chamber . The vote undid Trump’s executive order that restricted collective bargaining rights across multiple federal agencies.
The vote follows growing discomfort among some Republicans over the administration’s sweeping approach to federal workforce cuts and union restrictions. Trump has repeatedly celebrated eliminating more than 270,000 federal jobs since returning to office, portraying the cuts as proof that he kept campaign promises. But for senators facing reelection, those numbers land differently at home.
Several of the GOP senators who broke ranks appeared on CBS Mornings on December 29, where they framed their votes as constituent-driven rather than ideological. The segment highlighted concerns from federal employees and local leaders who warned that stripping union protections could destabilize regional economies heavily dependent on government jobs.
Thank you Rep Llew Jones, the Montana “Dirty Dozen” and “Nasty Nine” pic.twitter.com/XLfbPR1Qst
— Montana Freedom Caucus (@MTFreedomCaucus) November 8, 2025
While the White House has not publicly named the dissenters, Trump allies have accused them of undermining his agenda at a critical moment. Conservative commentators labeled the move “disloyal,” while labor advocates described it as overdue recognition that federal workers are also voters.
This is not the first time Trump has faced resistance from within his own party over labor policy. Earlier attempts to curb federal unions during his first term triggered similar backlash, particularly from senators in states with large military, postal, or civil service populations.
What makes this vote different is the timing. With the 2026 midterms less than a year away, Republicans defending narrow margins are showing signs of recalibration. The Montana-linked senators, in particular, represent states where union households remain politically influential despite broader conservative leanings.
Unbelievable… the GOP is useless AF
Instead of codifying President Trump’s Executive Orders, 13 Republicans in the House voted to OVERTURN President Trump’s Executive Order 14251, Trump’s order on federal worker union rights.
Most are endorsed by Trump
– IA: Zach Nunn
– MN:… pic.twitter.com/WNsMNvGUkS
— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) December 11, 2025
The vote also underscores a broader trend: more Republicans are publicly acknowledging that strict party-line voting carries electoral risk. Rather than opposing Trump outright, these senators have chosen targeted breaks that allow them to argue independence without fully severing ties to the party’s base.
Whether the repeal ultimately succeeds remains unclear, but the political message is already unmistakable. Trump’s grip on the Senate GOP is no longer absolute, and the calculus inside the party is shifting from loyalty tests to survival math.
As one Republican aide told Fox News anonymously, “They’re not voting against Trump. They’re voting for their seats.”
