Senate Rejects Trump Tariffs on Canada and Brazil Despite Presidential Pushback
The Unitedโ States Senate voted Wednesday to overturn tariffs imposed on Canada, with a 50-46 margin approving a resolution to cancel theโ levies. This follows a similar vote lastโ weekโ against tariffs โon Brazil, where five Republicans joined Democrats, compared to four inโข the Canada vote. Theโข outcome represents a notable rebuke of President โTrump’s trade strategy and is elaborate by a โcold War-era โruleโ preventing the full overturning of theโฃ president’s โคtariff โdecisions until Marchโข 2026.
The move comes amidst escalating trade tensions with โขCanada, triggered by a โrecent advertisement by the Canadian โคprovinceโ of Ontario featuringโ former โPresident Ronald Reagan advocating โฃagainst tariffs and for globalization. โPresident Trump responded by halting trade negotiations with canada and threatening an additional 10% tariff increase, on top of existing โคlevies โฃof 35% on some products and 50% on steel.
Vice President JDโ Vance, who also presides overโ the โSenate, had cautioned โฃRepublican senatorsโฃ against challenging the White House’s tariff policy, arguing that import levies provideโ valuable leverage in trade negotiations.โ However, his warnings proved ineffective.
Senators Susan Collins (Maine),mitch McConnell (Kentucky),Lisa Murkowski (Alaska),and Randโ Paul (Kentucky) were the Republicans whoโ joined Democratsโค in voting โฃto eliminate the Canadian tariffs.โข These same senators had previously voted with Democrats on โคa similar measure in April.Senator Paul also sponsored the โresolution rejecting tariffs โon Brazil.
Senator Tim Kaine (Virginia), aโข proponent of the resolution against the Canadian tariffs, stated his primary objection โwas โขthe lack of a genuine emergency justifying โฃtheir request, and highlighted the damage โขto the long-standing relationship between the โขUS and canada.โฃ Senator Paul echoed this sentiment,arguing that disagreements over tariffs do not constitute an emergency and โrepresent an abuse of executive power,as well as a relinquishing of Congress’s customary roleโข in setting tax policy.
Currently, โCanada remains the only G7 nation without a finalized trade agreement with โฃthe โunited states, despite recent indications from President Trump that a deal was nearing completion โfollowing a visit from canadian โPrime Ministerโฃ Mark Carney.