Republican Senator Rand Paul has cautioned his party that tariffs have historically “decimated politics”, following his vote against President Donald Trump’s import duties on Canada. Speaking to Fox News, the Kentucky senator argued that tariffs have previously led to significant political losses for the Republican Party. Citing historical examples, he noted that when President McKinley imposed tariffs in 1890, Republicans lost 50 per cent of their seats, while the Smoot-Hawley tariffs of the 1930s contributed to losing control of Congress for six decades.
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Senator Paul’s comments came after Trump announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs, imposing a 25 per cent levy on Canadian imports and a minimum 10 per cent duty on all other countries. In response, the Kentucky senator collaborated with Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia to introduce an opposition resolution. Their efforts were supported by four Republican senators, including Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and Susan Collins of Maine, who joined all Democratic senators in voting against the Canadian tariffs. In a narrow 51-48 vote, the Senate rejected Trump’s earlier national emergency declaration, which was used to justify the trade restrictions.
In a rare bipartisan move, Senators Paul and Kaine, who ran as vice-presidential candidate against Trump and Mike Pence in 2016, appeared together on Fox News to discuss the impact of tariffs on American consumers. Paul argued that trade between the United States and Canada is mutually beneficial, stating: “We are richer because of trade with Canada, and so is Canada.” He emphasised that trade is not a competition between the two nations but a cooperative process that benefits both economies.
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The senator further explained that tariffs drive up prices, ultimately harming consumers and the broader economy. “The consumer wins when the price is the lowest price. Tariffs raise prices, and they’re a bad idea for the economy,” he said. Stressing the link between trade and economic growth, Paul highlighted that global trade has significantly expanded over the last 70 years, coinciding with rising global prosperity. His remarks reflect broader concerns within the Republican Party about the potential economic and political consequences of Trump’s aggressive trade policies.
