Thune defended the emergency order as necessary to address the nation’s fentanyl crisis, particularly as the anti-tariff resolution is expected to pick up support from a few GOP senators.
The resolution, which is sponsored by Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine (Va.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and Mark Warner (Va.) would call for undoing Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods.
It does not have the force of law, but it would be embarrassing to Trump if a significant number of Senate Republicans vote for the measure.
Trump on Tuesday took a swipe at Kaine over the effort and urged Republican senators to defeat the resolution.
“Sen. Tim Kaine, who ran against me with Crooked Hillary in 2016, is trying to halt our critical Tariffs on deadly Fentanyl coming in from Canada. We are making progress to end this terrible Fentanyl Crisis, but Republicans in the Senate MUST vote to keep the National Emergency in place, so we can finish the job, and end the scourge,” the president posted on Truth Social.
The Senate is expected to vote on the legislation later this week.
The Hill’s Alex Bolton has more here.
