Trump slams 4 GOP senators refusing to support the tariff strategy
In this DML Report…
President Donald Trump lashed out on Truth Social targeting four Republican senators—Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska—for potentially backing a Senate vote to scrap his tariffs on Canada. Trump called them “disloyal” and accused them of suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” urging GOP voters to pressure them into supporting his “Liberation Day” tariff plan, set to launch with a 25% levy on Canadian goods. The tariffs, tied to a national emergency declaration over fentanyl trafficking from Canada, aim to force Ottawa to act, though critics argue the drugs largely originate elsewhere, like Mexico and China.
The Senate vote, pushed by Democrats via a resolution from Virginia’s Tim Kaine, challenges Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose the tariffs. Collins and Paul signaled openness to the resolution—Collins citing economic harm to Maine, Paul questioning broad tariffs—while McConnell and Murkowski’s stances remain unclear, though all four have clashed with Trump before. If Paul and Collins join Democrats, Senate Majority Leader John Thune could lose control, forcing Vice President JD Vance to break a tie, assuming full attendance, as Trump’s team scrambles to hold the line.
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Trump’s tariff rollout includes reciprocal duties on all trading partners, with Canada’s 25% rate already drawing threats of retaliation from Prime Minister Mark Carney. The president claims the policy will boost U.S. manufacturing and fund tax cuts, dismissing economists’ warnings of price hikes and recession risks—Goldman Sachs pegs a 20% chance within a year. The GOP rift continues to deepen, with Trump doubling down on loyalty demands. At the same time, senators are weighing economic fallout against party pressure, leaving the tariff’s fate hanging on a razor-thin vote.