The Senate has voted to scrap President Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canadian goods a sharp bipartisan rebuke, though mostly symbolic.
Four Republicans broke ranks to join all Senate Democrats in supporting the resolution.
The measure, which passed shortly after Trump announced a fresh 10% tariff on all imports, is largely toothless.
The House is unlikely to bring it up for a vote, and Trump has already vowed to kill it if it ever reaches his desk.
The bill aims to block an emergency order justifying tariffs as a tool to combat fentanyl trafficking from Canada, a longtime U.S. ally.
Republicans who backed the resolution Susan Collins (Maine), Mitch McConnell (Kentucky), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and Rand Paul (Kentucky) argued that tariffs are meant for adversaries, not trusted partners.
“Tariffs are taxes. They hurt American families. Canada is not our enemy. Let’s fight fentanyl the right way,” said lead sponsor Sen. Tim Kaine.
Trump fired back on Truth Social, calling the vote a political stunt.
“These senators are playing with American lives, handing a win to the Radical Left and drug cartels,” he wrote, insisting the tariffs would make fentanyl too expensive to distribute.
Business owners are already sounding the alarm.
Bill Butcher, head of Port City Brewing in Virginia, warned that beer prices could jump from $12.99 to $18.99 per six-pack, hurting both businesses and consumers.
Sen. Collins argued the tariffs would cripple Maine industries like tourism, farming, and lobster processing.
“Our economy is deeply tied to Canada—these tariffs will hurt working families,” she warned.
Opponents of the resolution argue that lifting the emergency order would weaken the fight against fentanyl.
Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) dismissed the move as short-sighted, saying, “Ending this emergency just tells cartels to focus on the southern border instead.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Rand Paul framed the fight as a constitutional issue.
“This isn’t about Trump or party politics. It’s about the rule of law.
Only Congress can impose taxes, not one person,” he said.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, major unions, and retail groups back the Senate’s effort, warning tariffs will drive up costs for struggling Americans.
“Tariffs are taxes, plain and simple,” said Chamber CEO Neil Bradley, arguing that Trump’s move violates the very trade deal he helped negotiate.
The fight over tariffs is far from over, but for now, the Senate has sent a clear message: punishing Canada is not the solution.
