President Donald Trump has made it crystal clear: any attempt by Congress to strip or restrict his power to impose tariffs will be dead on arrival. In response to a newly introduced Senate bill seeking to curb the executive branch’s authority over trade policy, Trump has promised a swift veto, framing the effort as an attack on presidential responsibility and national sovereignty.
The legislation, known as the Trade Review Act of 2025, is a bipartisan proposal spearheaded by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA). It would require any new tariff imposed by the White House to receive congressional approval within 60 days or be automatically canceled. It would also force the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of implementing any tariff and grant lawmakers the power to repeal tariffs through a joint resolution.
The White House isn’t having it.
“This bill would dangerously hamper the President’s authority and duty to determine our foreign policy and protect our national security,” said a statement from the Office of Management and Budget. “The ability to act decisively in the face of foreign economic aggression is not optional—it’s essential.”
President Trump echoed those sentiments, calling the bill “a total surrender to globalist interests” and warning that weakening presidential authority on trade would signal to the world that America is going soft. “We will not let career politicians tie the hands of the only administration willing to fight for American workers,” he said. “I will veto this bill the moment it hits my desk.”
Despite the veto threat, the bill has drawn support from a coalition of Republicans and Democrats. Among the GOP backers are Senators Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis, Jerry Moran, Susan Collins, and Todd Young—all of whom have expressed concern over what they view as unchecked executive power on trade matters.
But Trump and his supporters argue that decisive leadership is exactly what’s needed. The bill comes on the heels of Trump’s “Liberation Day” economic policy, which introduced sweeping tariffs across the board—10% on all imports, with additional penalties targeting nations like China, the EU, and others. The policy, while controversial, has already drawn more than 50 countries to the negotiating table and is credited with sparking a renewed push for fairer trade.
The push by Congress reflects growing discomfort within the political establishment about Trump’s direct and aggressive use of tariffs as a tool of economic warfare. Lawmakers argue that trade policy should involve the legislative branch—but the Trump administration sees it differently: tariffs are leverage, and leverage works.
With Republicans narrowly controlling both chambers of Congress, the bill may pass, but it’s unlikely to survive a presidential veto unless a two-thirds majority in both houses can be reached—an uphill climb, given the solid support Trump still commands within his party.
For now, the message from the White House is unmistakable: President Trump will not back down from defending American industries, and any effort to undercut his trade authority will be met with swift resistance. In his words, “America’s comeback depends on bold action—not bureaucratic roadblocks.”