President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade disputes with Canada threaten to hit northern border states hard economically, sparking a political clash in Maine where Republican Sen. Susan Collins is facing criticism from her Democratic challenger, Troy Jackson.
On August 28, Collins penned a letter to Trump administration officials arguing that Canadian tariffs would harm Maine businesses, inflate expenses for local municipalities, and drive up everyday costs for necessities like cement and road salt.
That prompted a sharp response on X from Jackson, a former state senator. “Oh look, another strongly worded letter. Give me a break,” Jackson wrote. “When Susan Collins had the chance to actually vote to stop Trump’s tariffs from driving up costs for Maine families and businesses, she voted NO. Mainers don’t need more fake concern.”
In her defense, Collins has highlighted her past votes pushing back against the administration’s tariffs and her push to introduce legislation shielding small businesses from import levies on Canadian goods.
Jackson’s attack relies on a selective view of Collins’ voting record, overlooking multiple instances where the Maine senator crossed party lines to oppose Trump’s trade policies.
Jackson highlights a 2025 vote against a tariff amendment
When asked for clarification, Jackson’s campaign pointed to an April 4, 2025, vote where Collins opposed a tariff amendment, though the measure was not specifically targeted at Canada. The vote occurred during a Senate “vote-a-rama”—a marathon session of rapid-fire votes on budget amendments. These measures rarely pass, but they are frequently used by the minority party to put political pressure on opponents over contentious issues.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer introduced an amendment aimed at rolling back tariffs on certain countries if they caused consumer prices, such as groceries, to rise. The measure was defeated 46-53 along mostly party lines, with Collins voting alongside her fellow Republicans.
Jackson’s team also pointed to Collins’ votes confirming Trump Cabinet nominees who defended the administration’s trade stance, such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who publicly supported broad tariffs. All present Republicans voted to confirm Lutnick.
However, supporting a presidential nominee is not the same as endorsing every policy a cabinet member favors, particularly since Trump campaigned extensively on implementing tariffs regardless of Senate confirmations.
Collins has repeatedly sided with Democrats against tariffs
Jackson’s critique leaves out several key occasions where Collins joined Democrats to challenge the administration’s trade strategy.
Following Trump’s designated “Liberation Day” tariff rollout on April 2, 2025, Collins stood out as one of just four Republican senators who joined Democrats to pass a non-binding resolution aiming to reverse the 25% levy on Canadian goods.
During a speech on the Senate floor, Collins argued that Canada is essential to Maine’s economy and warned that the import taxes would harm local farmers, manufacturers, fishermen, and consumers alike. “And as price hikes always do, they will hurt those the most who can afford them the least,” she noted.
The resolution cleared the chamber 51-48, drawing criticism from Trump directed at Collins and the three other Republican defectors: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
As the legislative battle continued, Senate Democrats repeatedly forced votes on the issue. In late October 2025, Collins again broke ranks to support three measures designed to terminate the national emergencies Trump had declared that spring to justify tariffs involving Brazil, Canada, and other trading partners. While these resolutions passed the Senate, they stalled without receiving votes in the House.
Our ruling
Jackson claimed that when Collins “had the chance to actually vote to stop Trump’s tariffs from driving up costs for Maine families and businesses, she voted NO.”
While Jackson’s campaign accurately pointed to a budget-related amendment vote where Collins opposed lifting certain tariffs—alongside her votes to confirm cabinet nominees who support trade levies—the statement ignores substantial context.
In reality, Collins joined Democrats on four separate occasions in 2025 to vote against Trump’s tariffs, making her one of a very small group of Republicans to do so. None of these measures, however, enjoyed enough congressional backing to override a potential presidential veto.
We rate this claim Mostly False.
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