Several Republican senators teamed up with Democrats to pass a resolution aimed at blocking President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, marking a rare rebuke of the president’s trade policy shortly after he announced sweeping import taxes on some of the country’s largest trading partners.
In a 51-48 vote, four Republicans – Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and both Kentucky senators, Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul – defied Trump’s pressure and supported the measure. The Senate vote came after Democrats used a procedural maneuver to force a vote on a resolution that would terminate the national emergency on fentanyl, which Trump used as justification for imposing tariffs on Canada.
Although Trump’s new tariffs, announced in a White House Rose Garden ceremony on Wednesday, did not include additional levies on Canada, the Senate’s decision amounted to a significant bipartisan condemnation of Trump’s escalating global trade war with both allies and enemies.
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, who sponsored the bill, argued in his speech that tariffs would harm American families. “Canada is not an enemy,” he said, adding that the tariffs would hurt American families, small businesses, and national security investments in military equipment.
Republicans have shown varying degrees of concern about Trump’s clampdown on free trade, which has historically been a cornerstone of conservative values, but few have openly opposed him. GOP leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, supported Trump’s tariff agenda, viewing it as a means to bolster American manufacturing.
Despite the bipartisan vote, the resolution has little chance of passing the Republican-controlled House and being signed into law by Trump. Nevertheless, it reflects the growing unease among Republicans about Trump’s economic policies. Economists are warning that the tariffs could lead to an economic contraction, with some GOP senators expressing concern over Trump’s approach to foreign relations.
Before the vote, Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota urged Republicans to oppose the resolution, emphasizing the need for tariffs to combat fentanyl trafficking.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump criticized the four GOP senators who opposed his tariffs and urged them to join the Republican cause, accusing them of supporting a “wild and flagrant push” to not penalize Canada for fentanyl sales.
Collins Defends Her Vote
Senator Collins defended her vote, explaining that the tariffs would hurt working families in Maine, particularly with price hikes in groceries, gas, and heating oil. She also argued that fentanyl from Canada was not a significant threat to the U.S. compared to fentanyl coming from the southern border.
Democrats pointed to recent election victories as proof that the American public was turning against Trump’s policies, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stating, “The American people are seeing how bad Trump is, and they are not supporting people like Elon Musk who support him.”
In response to Trump’s tariffs, Representative Gregory Meeks, a top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, pledged to push for a similar vote in the House.