The White House on Monday (April 7) issued a sharp warning against a bipartisan Senate bill that seeks to limit President Donald Trump’s authority to unilaterally impose tariffs, threatening a veto and calling the legislation a threat to national security and executive power.
The bill, known as the Trade Review Act of 2025, was introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and has attracted support from both Republicans and Democrats, including six additional Republican senators.
Bill seeks Congressional oversight on tariffs
If passed, the bill would require the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of imposing new tariffs and include a justification along with an analysis of their impact on US businesses and consumers. Congress would then have 60 days to approve the tariffs. Failure to do so would cause them to automatically expire.
Supporters argue this restores balance between the executive and legislative branches on trade policy. However, the White House argues it amounts to “procedural micromanagement.”
White House: Bill will ‘dangerously hamper’ naional security
In a statement, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said the bill “severely constrains the President’s ability to use authorities long recognised by Congress and upheld by the courts to respond to national emergencies and foreign threats.”
The OMB added that the proposed oversight would “eliminate leverage over foreign trading partners, inhibit reshoring and supply chain resilience, foster market uncertainty, and reduce the energy and dispatch required by the President to effectively guarantee the nation’s security.”
“If passed, this bill would dangerously hamper the President’s authority and duty to determine our foreign policy and protect our national security,” the statement warned.
Veto threat raises bar for passage
The White House’s veto threat means the bill will now need a two-thirds majority in both the Republican-controlled House and Senate to become law — a steep climb, even with bipartisan backing.
GOP Senators defy Trump on trade powers
Among the Republicans backing the bill are Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Todd Young (R-Ind.), reflecting growing discomfort within the party about Trump’s aggressive use of trade restrictions.
The proposed legislation signals a renewed effort by Congress to assert its constitutional role in shaping US trade policy, amid concerns that the current approach lacks transparency and accountability.
About The Author
