Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) blasted President Trump on Friday for halting trade talks with Canada and vowed to force Republicans to vote again on a resolution to wipe out Trump’s tariffs on the U.S.’s northern neighbor, declaring “the madness must stop.”
Schumer said Trump’s tariffs on Canada are forcing American families to pay more for imported goods such as lumber and beef and vowed to bring the issue back to the Senate floor.
“Americans cannot afford Donald Trump’s price-spiking tariff temper tantrums. These constant tantrums end up costing Americans real money,” Schumer said in a statement. “Refusing to negotiate with Canada to alleviate the tariffs will ensure that Americans continue to pay an average of $1,300 due to higher prices on everything from lumber to beef.”
“The madness must stop,” he said, vowing to force votes next week on proposals to “reverse Donald Trump’s damaging tariffs on Canada and other countries.”
The New York Democrat added, “Americans will see if Republicans put Donald Trump or average families first.”
The Senate approved a resolution in April to end Trump’s tariffs on Canada after four Republicans — Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) — voted for it.
The action is symbolic, however, because a resolution to reverse Trump’s power to impose tariffs on Canada has little chance of coming up for a vote in the House. Even if it was passed by Congress, it would face a presidential veto, which would require two-thirds votes in both chambers to override.
Schumer issued his statement after Trump cut off negotiations with Canada over an advertisement that used excerpts former President Reagan’s past comments on the risks of long-term tariffs. Trump accused the country of using the ad as an attempt to “interfere” with a Supreme Court review of the legality of the president using an emergency declaration to impose tariffs on foreign trading partners.
“Tariffs are very important to the national security, and economy, of the U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
