tl;dr
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate rejected President Trump's tariffs on Canadian exports for the second time, with a 50-46 vote. Four Republicans joined Democrats to block the duties, signaling bipartisan resistance to Trump's trade policies. The vote is part of broader Senate efforts to curb Trump's tr...
**Senate Blocks Trump's Canada Tariffs in Second Vote, Threatening Trade Agenda**
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday once again rejected President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian exports, marking the second consecutive day of legislative pushback against the administration’s trade policies. The vote, which ended in a 50-46 margin, saw four Republican senators join Democrats to block the duties, signaling growing bipartisan resistance to Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs.
This latest action is part of a trio of Senate votes this week aimed at curbing Trump’s broad trade agenda. A final vote on broader global tariffs is scheduled for Thursday, with analysts noting that the Senate could symbolically undermine the president’s approach if the pattern continues. However, the resolutions lack immediate legal force until the House of Representatives acts on them—a process stalled by Republican leaders, who have delayed any House votes until March.
The dispute over Canada’s tariffs escalated after Trump suspended trade negotiations with Ottawa following an Ontario government ad featuring a 1987 radio clip of former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. The ad, aired during playoff games, quoted Reagan saying, “The way to prosperity for all nations is rejecting protectionist legislation and promoting fair and free competition.” While Reagan’s remarks targeted Japanese tariffs, his warning against trade wars resonated with critics.
Trump dismissed the ad as “fake” and claimed Reagan supported tariffs, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell swiftly countered. “The economic harms of trade wars are not the exception to history, but the rule,” McConnell said Tuesday. He confirmed his support for all resolutions to end emergency tariff authorities, emphasizing the bipartisan consensus against Trump’s tactics.
Despite the Senate’s actions, Trump has not yet followed through on a threat to raise the 35% duty on Canadian goods by an additional 10%. However, the looming threat remains as Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (not Mark Carney, as noted in the original text) expressed willingness to restart talks. Earlier discussions had made “considerable progress” on issues like steel, aluminum, and energy tariffs, according to Trudeau.
The vote highlighted divisions within the Republican Party. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) opposed the Canada tariffs but supported blocking the Brazil tariffs a day earlier, arguing the latter involved a “disagreement that had nothing to do with business or trade.” In contrast, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), representing a border state, cited firsthand evidence of economic harm from the Canada tariffs. She also noted Canada’s efforts to curb drug trafficking, emphasizing that most drugs enter the U.S. via the southern border. Collins was joined by Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Rand Paul (R-KY), who had previously supported blocking the Brazil tariffs.
As the Senate continues its challenge to Trump’s trade policies, the battle over tariffs underscores deepening tensions between the executive and legislative branches. While the current actions are symbolic, they reflect a broader pushback against the administration’s approach to international trade, with implications for U.S.-Canada relations and the broader global economy.