Senator Elizabeth Warren claims Democrats are on the verge of snatching back control over trade policy from President Trump — and says cracks are already showing in the GOP wall of support.
Appearing Thursday on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Warren declared that a bipartisan vote to revoke Trump’s emergency tariff authority is just weeks away. She and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) have introduced legislation aimed at stripping Trump of his power to unilaterally impose tariffs under emergency powers — the same authority Trump recently used to announce sweeping hikes, including a 145% tariff on Chinese goods.
Warren scoffed at Trump’s escalating numbers, saying, “He’s out here saying 57%, 10%, 145%. Markets are doing this. Where does he get the power to do this?” She insisted that Congress has the constitutional power over trade and accused Trump of abusing emergency declarations. “We’re not in an emergency with Belgium. We’re not in an emergency with South Korea,” she said. “Congress can just roll that back.”
The move, according to Warren, is already gathering momentum. “Every Democrat is ready to roll that authority back,” she said confidently. “The question is, can we get some Republicans?”
Co-host and former Senator Claire McCaskill asked whether Warren had at least six or seven Republican senators on board. Warren didn’t give a firm number, but hinted that the dam is about to break. “I think it’s going to be the crack in the wall,” she said. “As soon as you’ve got more than one moving, seven after a little bit starts to look like 17.”
The political strategy here is clear: Democrats want to reassert congressional control over trade policy, but they’re framing it as a nonpartisan issue to peel away uneasy Republicans. Warren’s message to GOP lawmakers? Get on board now or be remembered as part of the problem.
Trump’s tariff hikes have so far drawn praise from many in his base, particularly in manufacturing and agriculture-heavy states where tough stances on China resonate. But some establishment Republicans — especially those with ties to Wall Street or multinational corporations — have shown signs of wavering under pressure from donors and media criticism.
Warren’s timing isn’t accidental. Trump’s bold tariff moves are currently dominating headlines, and the Left sees a narrow opening to portray him as reckless on global trade. If they can frame his trade war as economically unstable and legally overreaching, they may sway just enough Republicans to tip the scales.
Whether the vote succeeds or not, Warren made clear the effort is a political shot across the bow: “People don’t want to be caught on the wrong side of history,” she warned.
The countdown to the vote — and a potential internal GOP split — is now officially on.
