In a rare break from President Donald Trump, a small group of Senate Republicans joined Democrats on Wednesday to pass a resolution blocking some of his tariffs.
The move came as Trump announced a new wave of tariffs, which the White House celebrated as “Liberation Day,” further escalating his tough-on-trade approach to protect American industries.
The Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a Democrat-backed resolution to revoke Trump’s tariffs on Canadian imports.
Four Republicans—Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Rand Paul (Kentucky), Mitch McConnell (Kentucky), and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)—sided with all 47 Democrats in passing the measure.
Despite the media framing this as a major rebuke of Trump, the reality is that the resolution is dead on arrival in the House and will never be signed into law by the president.
Still, the defection of these four Republicans provided Democrats with an opportunity to publicly challenge Trump’s trade policy, even as the president continues to push for strong economic protections for American workers.
Collins and Paul Sound the Alarm on Economic Impact
Sen. Susan Collins, long known for breaking with conservative policies, argued that the tariffs would disproportionately affect workers in her home state of Maine.
“If these tariffs go into effect, it will be so harmful,” Collins said on the Senate floor. “And as price hikes always do, they will hurt those the most who can afford them the least.”
She pointed to industries like lobster fishing, blueberry farming, and potato production as potential casualties of a prolonged trade dispute with Canada.
Similarly, Sen. Rand Paul voiced concerns about Kentucky’s bourbon industry, a multi-billion-dollar business that has already seen boycotts and retaliatory tariffs.
“Tariffs on Canada will threaten us with a recession. I mean, it’s a terrible, terrible idea,” Paul told reporters.
McConnell, despite his long history as a Republican leader, echoed the same sentiments, warning that tariffs could have “long-term consequences right in our backyard.”
He pointed out that Kentucky’s farmers and bourbon distillers would bear the brunt of increased trade tensions.
Trump Fires Back, Defends America-First Trade Policy
Trump wasted no time responding to the Senate vote, calling out the four GOP senators by name on Truth Social.
He defended his decision to impose tariffs on Canada, arguing that the country is not doing enough to stop fentanyl and other illegal drugs from flowing across the northern border.
“Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Rand Paul, also of Kentucky, will hopefully get on the Republican bandwagon, for a change,” Trump wrote.
“The Senate Bill is just a ploy of the Dems to show and expose the weakness of certain Republicans, namely these four, in that it is not going anywhere because the House will never approve it and I, as your President, will never sign it,” he continued.
While Democrats frame this vote as a setback for Trump, the reality is that his tariff strategy remains largely intact, with broad Republican support.
The president has made clear that he will continue using economic leverage to hold foreign governments accountable and protect American businesses.
Those four senators named have always opposed Trump, their constituents should oppose them the next time they come up for reelection.
RINO’S will be the death knell of the republican party. The likes of Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell and now Rand Paul(this is a major disappointment) The republican party must remove them for being socialist democrats, far left losers that should be made to declare their true party affiliations as socialist democrats. They should all be primaried and true republican conservatives supported to remove them in the election process. Trump should form his own party as he is constantly being back stabbed by a critical number of RINO’s.
Damn DC Swamp again
this is old news. Canada backed down YESTERDAY. NO ISSUE THERE. and those four are not republicans. they are RINO TRASH. NOT unusual for them to not know what the hell they are talking about. all full of hot air, and want that 15 minutes of fame. hope all are primaries out. they dont support america. just themselves and their pocket book. sl