The U.S. Senate has taken a major step to roll back President Trump’s tariffs on Brazil, approving legislation 52-48 on Tuesday to end the national emergency declared last July. Five Republicans joined Senate Democrats to revoke the import duties imposed after Brazil’s prosecution of former leader Jair Bolsonaro over an alleged coup attempt.
This measure is the first of three tariff repeal bills expected this week, with votes on Canada and other trade partners to follow. Senate Democrats argue that Trump used emergency powers to justify tariffs that have driven up consumer prices and disrupted global supply chains. Despite the Senate’s show of bipartisan support, the bill faces a tough fight in the Republican-led House of Representatives, where similar measures have stalled.
Backers of the repeal point to a $410 billion U.S. trade surplus with Brazil over the past 15 years, questioning the need for national security claims. In Trump’s executive order, Brazil was said to have threatened U.S. security, policy and economic interests, and to have politically targeted Bolsonaro.
Opponents maintain the tariffs were a necessary deterrent, warning that lifting duties might embolden actions against U.S. allies. The clash highlights a broader debate over the limits of presidential emergency powers in shaping trade policy.
As Democrats pledge to bring up repeal votes again and again, all eyes will be on the House. A successful override would reshape U.S.-Brazil economic ties and set a precedent for challenging other Trump-era trade measures.
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U.S. Senate passes bill to terminate Trump tariffs against Brazil
cgtn.com
