Four Republicans have gone against Trump again by collaborating with Democrats to hinder the MAGA agenda.

Senate Votes Against Trump’s Tariffs

This week, the U.S. Senate held three votes regarding President Donald Trump’s tariffs, and they all passed with some Republican senators siding with Democrats.

Exercising powers granted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, Trump declared a national emergency—calling it “Emancipation Day”—on April 2. He subsequently announced a 10% tariff on many imports and imposed additional tariffs on certain trading partners.

According to some senators, this move was all about Congress asserting its authority.

Both sides of the aisle have criticized the White House’s protectionist stance, particularly those who champion free trade.

Earlier this year, Kentucky’s Sen. Rand Paul expressed an opinion, stating, “The Constitution is clear that Congress, not the President, has the power of the purse. All new taxes, including tariffs, have to originate in the House before they can be approved by the Senate.”

Next month, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments regarding the legality of Trump’s tariffs under the IEEPA. Clearly, Congressional liberals want to explore all alternatives if the ruling doesn’t favor them.

On Tuesday, the Senate voted on a resolution to eliminate Trump’s 50% tariff on Brazilian imports. A coalition of Republican senators, including Susan Collins, Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Thom Tillis, teamed up with Democrats to pass a resolution from Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine by a vote of 52-48.

McConnell remarked, “Protectionists are quick to celebrate tariff revenues but often overlook the costs to American growers and producers that the tariffs impose. Tariffs typically make building and buying in the U.S. more expensive.” He noted that economic fallout from trade wars is historically common.

The following day, the Senate voted again, this time aiming at Trump’s tariffs on imports from Canada. Again, Collins, McConnell, Murkowski, and Paul supported the Democrats’ resolution, although Tillis reversed his position and voted against it.

On Thursday, they targeted the national emergency declaration Trump employed to enact the tariffs. The same group of Republicans joined with Democrats to pass a resolution from Sen. Ron Wyden by a narrow 51-47 margin.

Murkowski commented that the votes assert the Senate’s disapproval of the President’s emergency declaration on tariffs and reinforce Congress’s position as a co-equal branch of government.

Now, all three resolutions will head to the House for consideration; however, House GOP leaders have already indicated that these efforts are likely futile. Votes against Trump’s tariffs could potentially continue until March 2026, at which point he could still veto any measure.