LATE BREAKING UPDATE: US Senator Rand Paul’s opposition to President Donald Trump’s tariffs has ignited a fierce constitutional debate on Capitol Hill.
The senator co-sponsored legislation aimed at preventing the president from using emergency powers to implement his ambitious tariff agenda.
Although he received the support of every Senate Democrat and a few Republicans, Paul’s measure ultimately failed to pass late last night.
Specifically, Paul challenged President Trump’s authority to impose tariffs without congressional approval.
The senator argued that these economic measures are essentially taxes that require legislative consent as outlined in the Constitution.
“One is the emergency, and then there’s the economic objection to tariffs,” Paul explained, outlining his objections to both the method and substance of President Trump’s trade policy.
“Primarily, the debate really is over whether or not we’re going to have the power of taxation originate in Congress,” he added, highlighting his concerns over executive overreach.
The president recently introduced 10% tariffs on all countries, with temporary pauses on some higher tariffs that were initially planned.
This move has stirred controversy within Republican ranks, with Paul emerging as one of the most vocal critics.
Rand Paul failed to get the votes needed in the Senate to block Trump’s tariffs.
Complete waste of time. It was always DOA. pic.twitter.com/m4OZ7cQuvG
— Spitfire (@DogRightGirl) April 30, 2025
Democrats seized on this Republican division by joining forces with Paul and Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski on a resolution disapproving of President Trump’s use of emergency powers for tariffs.
The resolution would have needed seven Republican votes to succeed—a threshold Paul claimed to have reached.
Paul did not mince words about his opposition, calling President Trump’s approach “a bad way to run a country.”
He warned that allowing presidents to unilaterally impose tariffs sets a dangerous precedent that future Democrat presidents could exploit.
Paul also urged fellow conservatives to consider the long-term implications for constitutional governance.
The White House firmly responded to this challenge, stating that President Trump would veto any resolution attempting to reverse his tariffs.
Administration officials argue that the tariffs are essential for addressing national security and economic threats facing America, priorities they believe cannot wait for the often slow congressional process.
Critics of Paul point out that his resistance undermines efforts to protect American industries and workers from unfair foreign competition.
President Trump has publicly criticized Paul and other Republican dissenters, urging them to align with the party’s broader economic agenda rather than creating internal division that could benefit Democrats.
