On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 to repeal unfair tariffs that former President Donald Trump foisted on Canada. This decision is the most important bipartisan rebuke to Trump’s harmful, shortsighted trade policy to date. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia introduced the landmark legislation. It attracted support from at least four Republican Senators, including Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Kentucky Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul.
On that day, during an ostentatious White House ceremony in the Rose Garden, Trump rolled out the tariffs. He argued they were needed to stop the tide of fentanyl pouring in from Canada, but many lawmakers have been doubtful on that point. Despite this Senate vote against the tariffs, the legislation is unlikely to progress in the Republican-controlled House or receive Trump’s signature.
Senator Kaine strongly called out the myth that fentanyl coming from Canada is a major danger to the United States. He added, “Tariffs will injure our families. Canada is not the enemy. He said describing Canada as an enemy is damaging to the vital and unique bilateral economic and diplomatic ties.
A number of other senators followed Kaine’s lead in expressing these worries. They cautioned that the tariffs would impose a severe burden on American families and small businesses. He further articulated the broader implications of such tariffs, saying, “Let’s not label an ally as an enemy. Let’s not impose punishing costs on American families at a time they can’t afford it. Let’s not hurt American small businesses.”
The fight over these tariffs is really getting interesting. Democrats are betting that the tide of public opinion is shifting against Trump’s agenda. Recent electoral outcomes, including a notable victory for Democrats in a Wisconsin state supreme court race, demonstrate a growing challenge for the Republican party. As Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted, “#ThankYouDonaldTrump—American people are at last seeing just how awful Trump is.” Beyond that, he emphasized that the Democrats understand that the public is turning against Trump’s policies.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, vice chairman of the Senate GOP, vigorously defended the tariffs. He claimed that these tariffs are an important weapon in the Trump administration’s war on fentanyl traffickers. Perhaps most importantly, Mr. Budzinski underscored the need for these tools. They will assist President Trump in stopping the flow of fentanyl from above, below, and all around.
Opponents of the tariffs have been alarmed by their economic impact. Many economists predict that implementing these tariffs could lead to broader economic contraction, affecting working families and small businesses across the nation. Senator Collins’s public admonition that “the tariffs will hurt working families in Maine” was an indication that this concern was common among her colleagues.
In response to the Senate’s actions, Trump criticized his party members who deflected from his stance, urging them to “get on the Republican bandwagon, for a change, and fight the Democrats’ wild and flagrant push to not penalize Canada for the sale, into our country, of large amounts of fentanyl.” This one statement shows the continued tension between Trump and some of the Republican party’s key oligarchs and insiders over trade matters.
Several senators worked to steer the committee toward a more holistic solution to combat drug trafficking and related challenges. They underscored that the majority of the fentanyl flooding America’s streets transits through other countries not directly connected to Canada. As one disappointed senator put it, “The truth is, the overwhelming majority of fentanyl in America is coming from the southern border.”