Trump’s Tariff Power Grab is a Threat to Democracy—and Congress Must Fight Back

Donald Trump just declared a new war—not just on global trade, not just on American workers—but on democracy itself.

On April 2, Trump issued a new national emergency declaration and used it to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs on virtually every major trading partner the United States has. These tariffs officially took effect on April 5. The economic panic was immediate. The Dow tumbled nearly 600 points. The S&P 500 ended its worst week of the year. The economic charts look like the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, except there’s no virus. It’s just Trump-induced chaos and pain.

Likely because of the blowback, Trump partially walked back some tariffs on April 9th by saying he would “pause” them for 90 days, but still left 10% across-the-board tariffs in place, and even increased tariffs on all goods from China. So basically, this was hardly a walk back at all, but simply an attempt to save face. Regardless of the tweaks around the edges, the effects will be severe, our economy will continue to erode, and we will pay the price.

And if Congress doesn’t act now, they’re not just enabling an economic disaster. They’re helping Donald Trump consolidate unchecked authoritarian power.

This isn’t about trade. It’s about control. And it’s happening right now.

  • THIS ISN'T ECONOMIC POLICY

    • This Isn’t Economic Policy. It’s a Weapon.

    Trump’s new tariffs don’t make economic sense—and that’s not a mistake. That’s the point. These tariffs are designed to cause widespread economic pain so that Trump can use the power of relief as a form of extortion. He’s creating a crisis that only he can lift—and he’ll lift it, business by business, industry by industry, in exchange for loyalty. It’s not hard to imagine the terms of that loyalty: Public endorsements. Campaign donations. Silencing of dissent. Compliance with MAGA messaging. Corporate crackdowns on employees who speak out. This isn’t theory. It’s how Trump already operates. Senator Chris Murphy laid it out clearly on Bluesky: Trump is following a well-worn authoritarian playbook. Strongmen around the world—from Viktor Orbán to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan—have used government spending and tax policy to punish enemies and reward loyalists. Trump is now doing the same with trade policy. He is using tariffs to make the U.S. economy dependent on personal loyalty to him. And the rest of us will foot the bill.

    Who’s Being Targeted?

    Nearly the entire world. The April 5 tariffs slapped a new 10 percent tax on nearly all imports from over 90 countries. But that’s just the baseline. Trump also put even higher country-specific tariffs on a whole host of countries, including some of our closest trading partners like Canada and Mexico. That’s what Trump subsequently “paused.” While the specifics seem to change by the day or even the hour, what’s consistent is the economic chaos and the political power grab. Trump also put even higher country-specific tariffs on a whole host of countries, including some of our closest trading partners like Canada and Mexico. That’s what Trump subsequently “paused.”

    It’s important to note these tariffs aren’t the result of complicated but precise economic models. Someone on Trump’s team seemingly plugged some clunky math into an AI tool and just enacted whatever it spit out.

    The economic pain from these tariffs will be widespread and immediate. Prices will rise on cars, electronics, clothing, and household goods. Supply chains will seize up. Small businesses that rely on imported parts or products will get crushed. Exporters will face retaliation. Entire communities will be thrown into instability.

    And that’s by design.

    Who’s Exempt?

    Not everyone’s suffering. Trump made sure of that.

    Oil and gas imports are exempt from the tariffs. So are pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. In other words, Trump’s favorite industries and donors—the fossil fuel sector and big pharma—get a pass.

    If you’re a mega-donor in the energy sector? You’re protected.

    If you’re a worker in a small Midwestern town whose employer relies on imported parts? You’re out of luck.

    This isn’t policy. It’s payback. It’s patronage. It’s corruption—and it’s now the official trade policy of the United States.

  • HOW IS THIS LEGAL

    • How Is This Legal?

    Because Congress let it happen.

    Trump declared an emergency under the National Emergencies Act (NEA), which allows him invoke another law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), passed in 1977. It gives the president limited authority to regulate trade during a bona fide national emergency—like an act of war, a foreign invasion, or a catastrophic global crisis.

    IEEPA was never intended to be used to impose sweeping tariffs on virtually the entire world. It was meant to be narrow, temporary, and focused on actual threats. But the law gave the president broad discretion to define what counts as an emergency. And that’s exactly the loophole Trump is exploiting.

    On April 2, he declared that foreign trade practices represented an “extraordinary threat” to U.S. national security. He cited that emergency to activate IEEPA, and then slammed the U.S. economy with a historic wave of tariffs.

    This is a gross abuse of power. But thanks to past Congresses that handed away their constitutional authority over trade and taxation, it’s technically legal—unless Congress steps in to stop it.

  • CONGRESS HAS THE POWER TO ACT

    • Congress Has the Power to Act. And They Must Use It Now.

    Congress has a powerful tool to fight back—there’s a fast-track process for forcing a vote in both chambers on a resolution ending the “emergency” Trump declared under the NEA, which would block the tariffs.

    How Congress Can Actually Make This Happen

    NEA resolutions are considered “privileged,” and that’s a big deal.

    Privileged resolutions:

    • Bypass committee—leadership can’t bury them
    • Force a floor vote within a specific timeframe
    • Can’t be filibustered in the Senate (only need 51 votes)
    • Put every member of Congress on the record

    This is one of the rare tools Congress has that actually bypasses normal roadblocks. It’s a fast-track process built to rein in presidential overreach.

    Unfortunately, these resolutions, like regular laws, need to be signed by the president in order to take effect. We know Trump will veto any resolution that reaches his desk—he’s already threatened to do so. And overriding that veto requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers. That’s a high bar—but it’s not a reason to give up.

    Why This Works—Even in the Minority

    Even though Democrats don’t hold the majority in either chamber, they can still force votes on these privileged resolutions. That’s what makes this moment so critical.

    Under the National Emergencies Act:

    • A member files a privileged resolution to end the emergency.
    • It’s referred to the relevant committee, which has 15 calendar days to act.
    • If the committee fails to act, the resolution is automatically discharged in the Senate, and in the House, a member can force a vote to “discharge” it to the floor.
    • It becomes the pending business on the floor—which means it must be debated and voted on.
    • Debate time is limited and cannot be filibustered.

    IEEPA resolutions follow the same process.

    This is one of the few legislative tools that cannot be stopped by a hostile majority or buried by leadership. It guarantees a vote. And it forces every Senator to take a side.

    Why This Fight Matters—Even If We Can’t Override the Veto

    We hear this all the time: “What’s the point? He’ll just veto it.”

    But this fight matters. Deeply.

    Even if the resolutions don’t become law, forcing votes is politically powerful:

    • It puts every member of Congress on the record
    • It draws a clear line between authoritarianism and accountability
    • It creates a public debate and generates headlines
    • It slows Trump down procedurally and politically
    • It builds momentum for future repeat

    This isn’t performative. It’s principled. It’s pressure. And it’s how we defend democracy when the normal paths are blocked.

    Watch for Sabotage: Republicans Are Already Trying to Kill These Votes

    House Republicans have grown wise to this fast-track process to hold them accountable - so they’re trying to rig the rules to avoid being put on the record. They have now twice slipped ruler changes into unrelated legislation that strips the NEA resolutions of their privileged status in the House. This means that Speaker Johnson will try to bury them in committee. Every Republican voted for these rules changes - providing cover and support for Trump’s dangerous tariffs. They voted in favor of obstruction and gave carte blanche to Trump to wreck the economy and extract political favors in exchange for tariff exemptions. This must be treated like what it is: a cover up. 

    Fortunately, we have a backup plan.

    If They Block It? There’s Still One More Tool: The Discharge Petition

    Even when Speaker Johnson rigs the rules to block a vote, House Democrats can launch a discharge petition.

    Here’s how it works:

    • If a resolution has been stuck in committee for more than 30 days, it can be forced to the floor
    • All it takes is 218 signatures
    • It’s difficult and time-consuming, and it requires a few Republicans to break ranks
    • But it’s possible—especially with grassroots pressure

    Mike Johnson’s obstruction only applies to the House. That’s where we need the discharge petition. Democrats can and should proceed with forcing a vote in the Senate, and there’s no need to wait.

    What About the Cantwell-Grassley Bill?

    Senators Maria Cantwell and Chuck Grassley have introduced the Trade Review Act of 2025—a bipartisan bill to reassert congressional authority over tariffs.

    That’s a good step. It would require:

    • Advance notification to Congress
    • A public justification and analysis
    • Congressional approval within 60 days

    It would give Congress more control over future tariff abuses.

    But it doesn’t cancel Trump’s April 2 emergency. It doesn’t stop the April 5 tariffs. It doesn’t override a veto. It doesn’t fix the crisis in front of us.

    It’s a reform bill for next time. But we need action right now.

    What We Want to See From Our Members of Congress

    Democrats have already taken the important first step of introducing the privileged resolutions to block the tariffs. Senator Ron Wyden is leading the effort in the Senate, and Congressman Greg Meeks in the House. Read on for the next steps!

    HOUSE DEMOCRATS

    • Force votes on privileged resolutions to end the April 2 national emergency declaration to block the tariffs.
    • Launch discharge petitions for resolutions that Republicans try to block with procedural shenanigans. Call out Republicans who don’t sign on.
    • Be ready to launch and lead a discharge petition if the resolution is blocked procedurally.
    • Use every platform—press conferences, floor speeches, field hearings, social media—to call out Trump’s power grab and spotlight Republican complicity. Turn up the volume and make it politically painful for them to stay silent.

    SENATE DEMOCRATS

    • Force votes on privileged resolutions to terminate the April 2 emergency.
    • Force votes and put Senate Republicans on the record, even if a veto override is unlikely.
    • Shine a spotlight on Trump’s bogus emergency—flood the floor with speeches, press hits, and hearings to hammer home the message: this is an abuse of power that threatens economic stability and democratic checks.

    HOUSE REPUBLICANS

    • Refuse to support any rule that strips privilege from resolutions related to the April 2 emergency.
    • Sign a discharge petition if the resolution is buried—especially those representing districts harmed by the tariffs.
    • Break ranks to protect congressional authority over taxation and trade—remind them this is a constitutional power grab, not a policy dispute.

    SENATE REPUBLICANS

    • Vote yes on privileged resolutions to end the emergency or block the tariffs—especially those from states hurt economically.
    • Use your platform to oppose Trump's abuse of power, even if you won’t challenge him directly.
    • Show you're willing to draw the line on executive overreach—remind them this precedent will outlive Trump.
  • TAKE ACTION NOW

    • TAKE ACTION NOW

  • WHAT'S AT STAKE

    • What’s at Stake

    This isn’t just about prices at the grocery store or the cost of a new car.

    This is about whether the United States will remain a functioning democracy—or slide into a model where one man can use national emergencies to rule by decree.

    It’s about whether trade policy becomes another lever of loyalty enforcement—where businesses, industries, and entire states have to align with Trump or suffer economically.

    It’s about whether Congress is willing to defend its constitutional role—or simply surrender it to a man who has shown, time and again, that he will destroy any institution that refuses to bow to him.

    This is not theoretical. The abuse is happening now. The tariffs are live. The emergency powers are active. The economy is being reshaped—not to help Americans, but to serve Donald Trump.

    Congress has the tools to stop it.

    If they don’t act, it’s not because they couldn’t. It’s because they wouldn’t.