Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has urged Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) to hold a hearing on how former President Donald Trump is implementing his tariff policies.
Warren, along with ten other Democratic senators, sent a letter to Scott, who chairs the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, calling for oversight into whether Trump is properly using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
This law allows the president to regulate commerce during a national emergency.
“The committee has jurisdiction over key aspects of IEEPA and tariff policy, and we owe it to the American people to fulfill our oversight duties and examine how the President is using these powers,” the letter said.
Trump invoked the IEEPA in his April 2 executive order that established so-called “reciprocal” tariffs.
In the order, he claimed current trade practices posed “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and economy of the United States,” pointing to long-standing trade deficits that he said were driving down domestic wages and consumption.
“I hereby declare a national emergency concerning this threat,” Trump stated.
Democratic lawmakers, however, criticized the move, saying Trump’s tariff policy lacks a clear strategy and has sparked economic instability. Warren also raised concerns that large corporations might exploit the system to unfairly raise prices.
“The President’s approach to tariffs raises serious questions about whether he will again favor well-connected allies with exemptions, just like he did during his first term—putting everyone else at a disadvantage,” the letter said.
Trump’s tariff agenda has also faced pushback from within his party. Some Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation in both chambers of Congress to give lawmakers more authority over trade policy.
“For too long, Congress has surrendered its constitutional power to regulate trade to the executive branch,” said Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
“That’s why I’ve joined Senator Cantwell in introducing the bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025 to restore congressional oversight and ensure Congress has a voice in trade decisions.”
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