The US Senate voted 50 to 46 on Wednesday to rebuke American President Donald Trump’s authority to levy steep tariffs on Canada. This follows Trump’s recent action of ramping up tariffs on the country by an additional 10% over a controversial Ronald Reagan television advertisement that criticized his trade policies, The Hill reported.
Four Republican senators, Mitch McConnell (Kentucky), Rand Paul (Kentucky), Susan Collins (Maine), and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), joined the Democratic senators to repeal Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods. The Senate had earlier voted to pass the same measure on April 2, 2025, but the progress hit a standstill after the Republican-controlled House refused to act on it.
Senator Warns Trump’s Tariffs Misuse Emergency Powers Law
The resolution’s sponsor, Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginian Democrat, reintroduced the measure this week. He argued that the Trump administration’s tariffs were unjustified as per the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. “I primarily object to the Canada tariffs because I don’t think there’s an emergency that should trigger the use of this statute…The fracturing of this long-standing, powerful relationship [with Canada] is one of the many reasons I oppose them,” Tim Kaine said during the Senate floor debate.
Trump Slaps 10% Extra Tariff on Canadian Goods
Earlier on October 26, US President Donald Trump increased tariffs on Canada by 10 percent, in addition to the existing tariffs, citing a ‘fraudulent’ advertisement that used a clip of former American President Ronald Reagan. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Ronald Reagan LOVED Tariffs for purposes of National Security and the Economy, but Canada said he didn’t! Their (Canada’s) Advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD.”
Trump said in the post while aboard Air Force One, “Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” He, however, did not mention which products or sectors the additional 10% tariff will be imposed on.
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