Issue One commends Senate for voting against President Trump’s unilateral tariff on Brazil and upholding constitutionally-granted trade authority

In response to the Senate voting against President Trump’s 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, Issue One Legislative Director Jamie Neikrie provided the following statement:

“We applaud the leadership of Republican Senators Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell, and Rand Paul, who worked across party lines to uphold Congress’ Article I constitutional powers. Their decision makes it clear that trade policy should not be dictated by the whims of any individual president, but by the authority of Congress.”

Neikrie continued: “Their courage stands in contrast to the House of Representatives, which has abdicated that duty and ceded critical authority to the executive by blocking the chamber from voting to overrule unilateral tariffs. That is not how our constitutional system is designed to work. Even more troubling, these tariffs appear to have been triggered in retaliation for Brazil holding a former authoritarian leader accountable — an alarming precedent that denigrates democratic norms abroad and the rule of law at home. We commend the senators who are working to preserve our critical balance of power, and urge other lawmakers to follow their lead.”

Background

President Trump’s 50% tariff imposed on Brazil comes against the backdrop of a much broader effort to centralize power in the executive branch and the hands of the president. This erosion of critical checks and balances long predates President Trump, but has accelerated during his second term. Issue One’s We the People Playbook — part of our broader Check the Exec campaign — highlights key powers that Congress must reclaim to restore the balance of power, including tariff authority.

Issue One recently conducted nationwide polling showing that American voters are increasingly concerned about too much power being concentrated in the presidency, and widely believe that elected officials should adhere to the Constitution’s system of checks and balances. The poll also revealed that a majority of voters (56%) do not believe that the president should be able to impose unilateral tariffs without congressional approval.