A vote seeking to repeal across-the-board tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump ended this week in an unusual 49-49 tie in the Senate. Although the bill failed, the outcome exposed a significant fracture within the Republican Party, which currently holds a majority in the upper chamber.

Three Republican senators-Rand Paul (Kentucky), Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)-broke ranks and voted with Democrats in an attempt to override the national emergency declared by Trump to justify imposing tariffs. The White House had already warned that it would veto any attempt to overturn its trade policy, but the Senate's political message was clear: there is dissent within the ruling party.

The decision by these senators was neither improvised nor isolated. Rand Paul, a traditional libertarian, has been a constant critic of economic protectionism and an advocate of free trade. Collins and Murkowski, for their part, have in the past voted against their party on issues such as abortion, the environment or the confirmation of judges, prioritizing institutional balance and the interests of their states.

Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, one of the resolution's movers, was blunt: "The Senate cannot be an idle bystander in the tariff madness." More than passing a bill, the Democratic goal was to leave public evidence of the level of alignment - or disagreement - of Republicans with Trump.

Tight Bills in the Senate

Following the November 2024 congressional elections, the Republican Party regained control of the Senate with 53 seats to the Democrats' 47, thanks to key victories in West Virginia, Montana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. It was the first time since 2016 that the GOP controlled the presidency, the Senate and the House of Representatives, consolidating a trifecta of federal power.

Despite that majority, internal divisions have come to the fore. In this vote on tariffs, two key figures were absent: Mitch McConnell, the minority leader who has publicly criticized Trump's tariff policy, and Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse. Had they been present, the outcome might have been different.

A new front of pressure

Although the resolution was defeated, the vote - and especially the partial breakdown in party discipline - coincides with a complex economic environment. The first quarter of 2025 closed with a 0.3% contraction in GDP, and several lawmakers, including within the Republican bloc, fear that the president's trade policy is deepening uncertainty.

In addition, the recent release of the April jobs report showed growth of 177,000 jobs - above expectations - but also a cumulative drop of 26,000 jobs in the public sector since January, amid Trump's aggressive federal spending cuts. Sectors such as health care, transportation and social assistance led hiring, while wages grew just 0.2% to $36.06 per hour.

For Trump, the draw can be read as a technical victory: the tariffs remain in place. But politically, the scenario is more uncertain. Internal fractures, market pressure, increasing congressional scrutiny and visible economic effects open a new chapter of institutional tension, even within his own party.

The image of a Senate completely aligned with the president is becoming less and less real. And if this vote shows anything, it is that in politics, even with a majority, not everything is guaranteed.