Republicans Block Effort to Repeal Trump Tariffs

Senate Republicans narrowly blocked a Democratic-led bill on Wednesday that aimed to repeal the global tariffs recently announced by US President Donald Trump, granting the president a modest victory amid bipartisan skepticism over his trade agenda.

The vote, which ended in a 49-49 deadlock, fell short of the simple majority needed to pass the measure.

The proposed bill would have prevented Trump from enforcing sweeping tariffs on nearly all US trading partners, initially unveiled on April 2. Trump later suspended the plan for 90 days following a sharp market downturn.

The decision to halt the bill comes at a time of mounting economic uncertainty. 

On the same day, the US Department of Commerce reported a 0.3% contraction in the national economy between January and March, marking the first quarterly decline in three years. Analysts linked the downturn in part to instability caused by fluctuating trade policies.

A similar Senate vote weeks earlier had passed with a 51-48 margin, including support from four Republican senators, to limit Trump’s ability to impose tariffs on Canadian imports.

However, Wednesday’s vote highlighted the growing internal divide within the Republican Party over the direction of U.S. trade policy.

Democratic lawmakers argued the resolution was essential to reasserting congressional authority and compelling Republicans to take a clear stance.

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, a key supporter of the bill, criticized inaction, saying the Senate could not remain a silent bystander amid what he described as tariff chaos.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also warned that the disappointing economic figures should serve as a wake-up call for Republican lawmakers.