Vice President Vance Breaks Tie to Uphold Trump's Tariffs in Senate

The Senate narrowly failed to pass a bipartisan resolution that would have blocked President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs, with Vice President JD Vance casting a decisive tie-breaking vote to uphold the administration's trade policies. The measure, supported by all present Democrats and a handful of Republicans including Sens. Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski, was hampered by the absence of key senators Mitch McConnell and Sheldon Whitehouse, resulting in a 49-49 deadlock. Senate Majority Leader John Thune moved to prevent the resolution from being reconsidered, prompting Vance's intervention. Critics, including Democratic leaders and some Republicans, argued that the tariffs hurt American consumers and businesses, with McConnell reiterating his longstanding opposition to tariffs as a tax on Americans. Even if the Senate resolution had succeeded, it faced significant obstacles in the House, where leadership was not inclined to bring it to a vote. The episode highlighted deep divisions within both parties over Trump's trade agenda and underscored the pivotal role of the vice president in closely contested Senate decisions.