Senate votes to undo Trump’s Canada tariffs
The U.S. Senate voted 50-46 to overturn President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada,marking a second congressional rebuke of his trade policy. Four Republicans joined Democrats to end the national emergency Trump declared to impose these escalating tariffs,which have fueled a renewed trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada. Although symbolic-since speaker Mike Johnson has blocked similar House legislation-the vote comes shortly after tensions escalated when Ontario Premier Doug Ford aired a commercial criticizing the tariffs. Trump had imposed duties of up to 35% on some Canadian goods, citing concerns such as fentanyl trafficking, and threatened a 10% tariff after Canada’s response campaign. The Senate is also considering votes on tariffs affecting other countries, including Brazil. Some republican senators have consistently opposed these tariffs, arguing against the president’s approach. While recent months saw a thaw in U.S.-Canada trade relations, including halted Canadian retaliatory tariffs and progress towards a deal, negotiations reportedly worsened following the controversial Ontario ad, which has since been paused.
Senate votes to undo Trump’s Canada tariffs, dealing second rebuke
The Senate waded into President Donald Trump’s feud with Canada on Wednesday, voting to overturn the tariffs at the center of a freshly rekindled trade war.
In a 50-46 vote, four Republicans sided with Democrats to end the national emergency Trump declared to impose an escalating set of tariffs on Canada, marking the second time the Senate has moved to undo them.
The vote is symbolic, as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has blocked similar legislation from coming to the House floor, but it marks a rare rebuke of the White House days after its trade talks devolved into sniping between Trump and the premier of Ontario.
Trump said that he would impose a 10% duty on Canada after the province launched an anti-tariff commercial invoking former President Ronald Reagan. He has previously levied 35% tariffs on select Canadian goods, citing the flow of fentanyl across the northern border.
The vote, forced by Democrats, is one of three the Senate is considering this week, with separate tariffs on Brazil rejected Tuesday along similar vote margins. The Senate is expected to vote on the 10% baseline tariffs Trump imposed on all U.S. trading partners as soon as Thursday.
Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Rand Paul (R-KY) have consistently opposed the tariffs, while a fifth Republican, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), is so far only opposed to the Brazil duties.
The White House has offered varying rationales for its tariff agenda, slapping Brazil with a 50% penalty over its prosecution of Trump ally and former president Jair Bolsonaro. But the tariffs have also served as leverage for the president, currently on a swing through Asia, in trade negotiations.
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Tensions with Canada thawed in August, when the country announced it would not impose a set of retaliatory tariffs, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters this week the two sides were getting closer to a trade deal, but the White House claims negotiations had soured before Ontario Premier Doug Ford needled Trump with the Reagan commercial, which aired during the World Series games.
The Ontario government has since suspended the commercial.
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