Vice President J.D. Vance cast the deciding vote in the Senate to block a resolution that would have overturned President Donald Trump’s tariffs, stepping in after three Republicans joined Democrats in an effort to revoke the national emergency authority underpinning the policy.
The Senate vote was held on a resolution seeking to terminate the president’s declaration of a national emergency related to foreign trade deficits.
The measure would have effectively dismantled the tariffs implemented under that authority.
Although Republicans hold a majority in the chamber, the resolution tied 49-49 after GOP Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Rand Paul (R-KY) crossed party lines to vote with Democrats.
With the tie, Vice President Vance intervened and cast the tie-breaking vote to defeat the resolution.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) were both absent from the vote.
A spokesperson for McConnell later stated that the 83-year-old senator would have voted in favor of the resolution alongside Democrats.
“The Senator has been consistent in opposing tariffs and that a trade war is not in the best interest of American households and businesses,” the spokesperson said. “He believes that tariffs are a tax increase on everybody.”
Following the vote, Murkowski posted on social media defending her decision to support the resolution, stating that the president’s declaration of a national emergency related to trade imbalances does not meet the legal threshold required.
“Bilateral trade deficits do not constitute a national emergency, nor do they qualify as an ‘unusual and extraordinary’ circumstance needed to unlock authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act,” Murkowski said.
“We have a lot more work to do to reclaim Congress’s constitutional power over tariffs, but this resolution is a step in the right direction,” she added.
Senator Rand Paul also explained his vote, citing constitutional concerns over executive power and congressional authority over taxation.
“The Constitution clearly states that Congress, not the president, has the power of the purse,” Paul posted on X.
“All new taxes (which is what a tariff is) are supposed to originate in the House of Representatives before going to the Senate for approval.”
Despite the attempted rollback, President Trump defended his economic strategy, particularly the tariffs implemented under his “Liberation Day” trade policy.
In a series of posts on Truth Social this week, Trump rejected claims that the tariffs were to blame for current market volatility, attributing recent economic turbulence to policies inherited from the previous administration.
“This is Biden’s Stock Market, not Trump’s,” the president wrote.
“I didn’t take over until January 20th. Tariffs will soon start kicking in, and companies are starting to move into the USA in record numbers. Our Country will boom, but we have to get rid of the Biden ‘Overhang.’”
Trump also urged patience from Americans and businesses navigating the transition.
“This will take a while, has NOTHING TO DO WITH TARIFFS, only that he left us with bad numbers,” Trump added.
“But when the boom begins, it will be like no other. BE PATIENT!!!”
The failed resolution marks a significant win for the Trump administration as it moves forward with efforts to realign global trade policies in favor of American production.
The White House has signaled that further economic measures tied to the national emergency authority could be forthcoming.
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