Senate Votes To Block Trump Tariffs On Canada After Four Republicans Cross The Aisle

The Senate has passed a largely performative rebuke of President Donald Trump’s ability to impose tariffs on Canada, after four Republicans crossed the aisle for a 51-48 vote.

The resolution – which has practically no chance of making it through the House (and Trump would veto anyway), passed hours after Trump announced his so-called “Liberation Day” of worldwide tariffs, would end Trump’s emergency declaration on fentanyl trafficking used to justify tariffs on Canada, though both Canada and Mexico are exempt from Trump’s 10% baseline rate, while products subject to CUSMA/USCMA are exempt.

“Tariffs on imports from Canada are still set to rise on Thursday. Auto tariffs announced last week will still push the average U.S. tariff rate on imports from Canada to about 3.5% from 2.5% by our count,” said RBC’s Nathan Janzen and Claire Fan.

“That increase will still matter, but looks small now compared to dramatically higher tariffs set to be imposed on other countries.”

The four Republicans who joined all Senate Democrats were; Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Following the vote, former Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said, “As I have always warned, tariffs are bad policy, and trade wars with our partners hurt working people most.”

Trump has argued that Canada isn’t doing enough to stop the flow of illegal drugs from entering the USA. In 2024, CBP seized 43 lbs. of fentanyl in its northern border sector vs. 21,000 at the southern US border. Since January, authorities have seized less than 1.5 lbs in the north, according to federal data cited by AP.

“This is not about fentanyl. It’s about tariffs. It’s about a national sales tax on American families,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), who initiated the resolution.

Democrats argued that Trump is using the tariffs to pay for proposed tax cuts that would benefit the wealthy, but will also make it more expensive to build homes, buy cars and pay for imported grocery products. Kaine pointed to aluminum imported from Canada that is used by businesses ranging from pie makers to shipbuilders. -AP

“Today, Donald Trump takes a sledgehammer to the American economy and even to the American dream,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who of course also had something to say, adding “Once the American people say, ‘I don’t want to embrace somebody, I don’t want to vote for somebody, I don’t want to support somebody who embraces Trump’s policies,’ things are going to change.”

During Wednesday’s presser, Trump singled out Canada as a chief beneficiary of “unfair” trading practices with the US despite not adding any new tariffs as part of the Lutnick plan.

“Why are we doing this? I mean, at what point do we say, ‘You’ve got to work for yourselves and you’ve got to’? This is why we have the big deficits,” said Trump.

Standing up for Trump were several Senate Republicans – who insisted that Canada’s punishment was more about fentanyl than the impacts of tariffs.

“There are unique threats to the United States at our northern border,” said Majority Whip Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) said during a floor speech, adding that former President Joe Biden had “also thrown open the northern border. The criminal cartels noticed and they took advantage.”

“President Trump is taking the bold, decisive, swift action that is necessary to secure that border as well,” he continued.

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