WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Wednesday to nullify U.S. tariffs on Canada, coinciding with President Donald Trump's trade discussions in Asia and ongoing tensions with the northern neighbor. The vote passed with a narrow margin of 50-46, marking another step in a series of legislative actions aimed at terminating the national emergencies Trump has used to impose tariffs.

While the resolutions are unlikely to take effect, they serve as a platform for Democrats to highlight divisions between Trump's trade policies and the traditional free trade stance of many Republican senators. Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat who sponsored the resolutions, stated that the rising costs from tariffs would compel Republicans to distance themselves from Trump. "It will become untenable for them to just close their eyes and say, ‘I’m signing up for whatever the president wants to do,’" Kaine told reporters.

Earlier this week, the Senate also passed a similar resolution regarding tariffs on Brazil. Four Republican senators — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and Rand Paul of Kentucky — joined Democrats in supporting the resolution against Canadian tariffs. Kaine and other Democrats have utilized a decades-old law that allows Congress to challenge a president's emergency powers to force these votes.

Despite the Senate's actions, House Republicans have implemented new rules that could prevent such resolutions from being voted on in their chamber. Additionally, Trump has the option to veto any legislation that might pass through Congress.

The vote occurred while Trump was in Asia, where he is seeking to advance trade negotiations. He has also been engaged in contentious discussions with Canadian officials regarding tariff reductions. Senator Mike Crapo, the Republican chair of the Senate Finance Committee, acknowledged concerns among senators about the future of trade under Trump but urged Congress to refrain from interference. "Let’s truly get a balanced, fair playing field in trade," Crapo said.

Tensions are rising between GOP senators and Trump, particularly regarding the impact of the trade war with China on soybean farmers and the administration's plans to increase beef imports from Argentina. Vice President JD Vance recently met with Republican senators, advocating for a hands-off approach to trade policy while Trump negotiates.

However, Vance's efforts did not sway those determined to oppose the tariffs. Senator Mitch McConnell expressed concern over the effects of retaliatory tariffs on Kentucky's agricultural sector, stating, "Retaliatory tariffs on American products have turned agricultural income upside down for many of Kentucky’s nearly 70,000 family farms. Bourbon has been caught in the crossfire from day one. And consumers are paying higher prices across the board as the true costs of trade barriers fall inevitably on them."

Earlier this week, Trump indicated plans to impose an additional 10% tariff on Canadian imports, citing an anti-tariff advertisement from Ontario that quoted former President Ronald Reagan. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been attempting to engage with Trump to alleviate the import taxes affecting Canada.

The economic relationship between the U.S. and Canada is significant, with trade totaling $909.1 billion in 2024. More than three-quarters of Canadian exports are directed to the U.S., and nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (approximately $2.7 billion U.S.) worth of goods and services cross the border daily. Amid the trade war, Canada has sought to strengthen ties with Asian trading partners.

Democrats argue that the trade war is adversely affecting various industries, including agriculture and shipbuilding, and question the rationale of engaging in a trade conflict with a close military ally. Trump has justified the tariffs by declaring a national emergency, claiming that illegal drugs, including fentanyl, are entering the U.S. from Canada. However, data shows that less than 1% of the fentanyl seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection this year was intercepted at the northern border.

Kaine criticized Trump's trade policy, suggesting it is influenced by personal grievances. He remarked, "How about that as a rationale for trade policy?"