U.S. Democratic senators launch final attempt to block Trump's tariffs

According to Axios, Democrats in the US Senate will launch a last-ditch effort on Wednesday to try to block Trump's tariffs, which are set to take full effect this week. Democrats believe Trump's tariffs will increase the average American household's annual spending by about $2,400, which they are using as a key point of attack in the 2026 midterm elections. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, will ask the Senate on Wednesday night to pass a motion confirming that the government cannot impose the tariffs under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which the Trump administration uses as a legal basis for imposing the tariffs. Shaheen's action would require only one lawmaker to block, and Republicans would almost certainly do so, but it gives Democrats a chance to make clear that they support higher tariffs.