Four Republicans Team Up With Democrats To Block Trump’s Canada Tariffs

The Senate approved a resolution Wednesday night blocking President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, dealing a symbolic blow to the president's trade policies.

Republican Sens. Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined Democrats in rescinding the national emergency declaration justifying tariffs in Canada. The vote came after the upper chamber successfully repealed Trump's 50% tariffs on Brazil on Tuesday night, with five Republicans crossing party lines. (RELATED: 'TERMINED': Trump ends trade talks with Canada over Ronald Reagan's 'fake' anti-tariff ad)

North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis voted to end Trump's tariffs on Brazil but opposed limiting the president's authority to levy tariffs on Canada. Both resolutions required a simple majority to pass.

“Large tariffs on close trading partners such as Brazil and Canada are a reckless abuse of presidential power that will leave Americans poorer,” Virginia Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Paul, two co-sponsors of the resolution, wrote in a report. review article for The Washington Post on Wednesday. “Additionally, Trump is misusing an unrelated emergency law to do this. His reckless, unconstitutional actions risk sending our country full-tilt into economic chaos.”

McConnell also said the president's tariffs have increased prices for consumers and hurt Kentucky's agricultural industry, in a statement declaring his support for the resolution.

However, the resolution is likely to be quickly shelved by the House of Representatives. House Speaker Mike Johnson is not expected to bring the resolution to a floor vote.

Vote follows Trump increase tariffs on Canadian imports up to 35% in response to Ontario TV adverts call former President Ronald Reagan criticized the president's trade policies. The video shows Reagan's warning that the tariffs would “hurt every American worker and consumer” in the long term.

On Tuesday, Vice President J.D. Vance called on Senate Republicans to unite behind the president's tariff policies.

“Tariffs give us an opportunity to put American workers first,” Vance told reporters after lunch at the Republican conference. “They are forcing American industry to reinvest in the United States of America rather than in another country. They also provide incredible leverage for the President of the United States in negotiating trade deals abroad.”

Senate previously voted lift Trump's tariffs on Canada in April. Paul, McConnell, Murkowski and Collins teamed up with Democrats to block Trump's national emergency declaration that underpins the tariffs.

A group of Senate Democrats and Paul are also expected to vote on ending the president's emergency powers that justify his global baseline tariffs as soon as this week.

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