Republicans in the US Congress want to stop Trump’s trade war

Three times last week, the Senate voted to deny President Donald Trump the power to enforce the tariffs he has imposed since taking office in January. Some Republicans have joined Democrats, reflecting growing resistance within their own party to the president’s trade policies.

The action was symbolic, as the measures are unlikely to advance in the Chamber and would not be sanctioned by Trump. Behind the scenes, however, Republicans were pushing for a concrete reversal.

Also read: How Trump’s tariffs give China space and worsen the agricultural crisis in the US

At a closed lunch with Vice President JD Vance, several senators asked the government to abandon the plan to expand beef imports from Argentina.

Congressional Republicans have almost fully supported Trump’s domestic and foreign agenda. But together, the votes to end the tariffs and the private meeting with the vice president reveal growing unease in the Republican Party about the impact of the president’s trade policies on his voters.

Vance was sent to Capitol Hill to try to convince his former colleagues to reject three resolutions that would revoke states of emergency used by Trump to justify tariffs on trading partners around the world.

Instead, the vice president faced a heated exchange with Republican senators from cattle-producing states over the administration’s plan to quadruple Argentine beef imports, with lower tariffs. The measure, aimed at containing rising meat prices, angered livestock farmers — a key group for the party.

Senator Ted Cruz (Republican from Texas) described the meeting as a “frank and vigorous conversation” — a euphemism for a tense debate. His fellow Texan, John Cornyn, said Republicans “do not want to favor foreign imports over domestic production.”

Hours later, the Senate approved, with bipartisan support, a resolution to end the 50% tariffs on Brazil. The following night, another vote of 50 to 46 ended part of the tariffs on Canada.

And on Thursday, 10/30, Republicans crossed party lines to pass, 51-47, a third resolution repealing Trump’s global tariff on more than 100 trading partners.

Most Republicans still support the tariff policy, arguing that while they cause temporary discomfort, they will make global trade fairer for American farmers and manufacturers.

Senator John Hoeven (Republican of North Dakota), who voted against the resolutions, acknowledged the farmers’ plight but said he believed “the president’s effort will bring better trade deals.”

Other Republicans, however, see clear losses. Former leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) supported all anti-tariff measures, saying Trump’s trade war hurt automakers, farmers and bourbon distilleries in his state. “Consumers are paying higher prices across the board,” he said.

Senator Susan Collins (Republican of Maine) also voted against the tariffs and warned that taxes on steel and aluminum have increased costs for local lobster fishermen by raising the price of basic equipment.

Democrat Tim Kaine (Virginia), author of the resolutions, said that sending the vice president to Congress shows that “the White House itself is really concerned” about internal discontent.

Among the five Republicans who supported the resolutions were Rand Paul, McConnell, Collins, Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Thom Tillis (North Carolina) — the latter criticizing the tariffs on Brazil as “arbitrary” and harmful to American industry.

The Constitution gives Congress the power to impose taxes — and “tariffs are taxes,” Paul said. “These new taxes don’t just fail the economy; they fail the Constitution and need to be reversed.”

The Supreme Court this week will hear arguments about whether the president can impose such tariffs under the Carter-era International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Republicans opposed to the resolutions called them political attacks. Senator Josh Hawley (Missouri) argued that Trump acted within legal limits. “They are trying to choose what they like and what they don’t like. But have they presented any proposals to change the laws?”, he asked.