GOP senators called out by Trump over anti-tariff resolution fears – Washington Examiner

President Donald Trump is pressuring four Republican senators—Rand Paul, Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski—over their potential support for a resolution to end his tariffs on Canada. ahead of a Senate vote, Trump warns that these senators are undermining Republicans and aligning with Democrats, prompting concerns that teh resolution may gain enough support to pass. the tariffs, introduced as a national security measure to halt the flow of fentanyl into the U.S., have faced criticism from some Republicans, including Collins, who calls them a mistake that disrupts economic relations with Canada. Trump argues that opposing the tariffs benefits the “Radical Left” and endangers American lives. The resolution, led by Senator Tim Kaine, requires support from at least four GOP senators to pass, with only Paul and Collins publicly agreeing so far. Even if it passes the Senate, the Republican-controlled House may block it, and Trump retains veto power. Opponents of the tariffs, including Kaine, describe the justification for them as exaggerated and politically motivated.


‘Unbelievably disloyal’ GOP senators called out by Trump over fears they’ll back anti-tariff resolution

President Donald Trump called on four Senate Republicans known for bucking the White House to vote down a congressional resolution attempting to end his steep tariffs against Canada. 

Ahead of the Senate’s Wednesday vote on the resolution, the White House fears Democrats will be able to pull enough votes from Republicans to pass the anti-tariff resolution.

Trump accused Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) of “playing with the lives of the American people and right into the hands of the Radical Left Democrats and Drug Cartels.”

The resolution, introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), is co-sponsored by a Republican, Paul. Collins said this week she would support the resolution. While McConnell and Murkowski have not signaled they would back it, they have publicly criticized the 25% tariffs against Canada set in place by Trump on Feb. 1 that went into effect on March 4.

The White House used a national security justification in issuing the emergency declaration, arguing the tariffs were a necessary tool to incentivize Canada to increase border security to limit the amount of fentanyl flowing into the United States.

Trump said the resolution was “just a ploy of the Dems to show and expose the weakness of certain Republicans” and urged residents from the senators’ states to contact the lawmakers and “get them to FINALLY adhere to Republican Values and Ideals.” 

“Why are they allowing Fentanyl to pour into our Country unchecked, and without penalty. What is wrong with them, other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, commonly known as TDS? Who can want this to happen to our beautiful families, and why?” the president said in a post to Truth Social early Wednesday morning.

The four GOP senators “will hopefully get on the Republican bandwagon, for a change, and fight the Democrats wild and flagrant push to not penalize Canada for the sale, into our Country, of large amounts of Fentanyl, by Tariffing the value of this horrible and deadly drug in order to make it more costly to distribute and buy,” he added. 

Even if the resolution passes the Senate, it faces a GOP majority in the House, where it would likely fall short of votes. Trump also holds the ultimate power of a veto.

To pass the upper chamber, the resolution requires votes from four Republican senators in addition to every Democratic senator. Only two GOP senators, Paul and Collins, have publicly said they will vote for it.

“Imposing tariffs on Canada, which is our closest neighbor, [a] friendly ally, is a huge mistake and will cause disruption in the economies of both countries,” Collins told reporters Monday. 

A spokesperson for Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who has expressed concern about the tariffs, told the Washington Examiner Wednesday morning that the North Carolina lawmaker is “opposed” to the resolution.

Politico reports that Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) may also support the resolution. His office did not respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for McConnell declined to comment on whether the Kentucky senator will back the resolution. However, the lawmaker is known for his contrarian approach to the Trump administration and has repeatedly condemned the president’s tariffs, including in a February op-ed in Louisville’s Courier-Journal.

“It will drive the cost of everything up,” McConnell said of the tariffs during an interview with CBS News’s Lesley Stahl. “In other words, it will be paid for by American consumers. I mean, why would you want to get in a fight with your allies over this?”

Earlier this month, Murkowski similarly signaled opposition to the tariffs. 

“We’ve always had a very cooperative, very collaborative relationship with our Canadian neighbors,” the Alaskan senator said during an interview with KCAW and the Daily Sitka Sentinel. “And I think it’s fair to say that there’s now a very chilling effect that we’re seeing. How might that impact tourism? I think that remains to be seen. But I do think folks are going to start seeing the prices of materials and consumer products increasing as a result of these tariffs.”

Although Trump argues the tariffs on Canada and Mexico are necessary to strengthen border security and stop the flow of deadly drugs into the U.S., Kaine says the threat is exaggerated. He claimed Trump “has justified the imposition of these tariffs on, in my view, a made-up emergency.” 

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, criticizes Russ Vought, an author of the conservative handbook Project 2025 and President Donald Trump’s pick to run the Office of Management and Budget, at a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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“The emergency is being invented to do the tariffs, to do the taxes on everyday Americans. Why? So, they can use the tariff revenue to give a tax cut to billionaires,” he told reporters.

“I really relish giving my Republican colleagues the chance to not just say they’re concerned, but actually take an action to stop these tariffs,” Kaine told the Associated Press last week. 



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