01/18/2026January 18, 2026Leading US House Democrat offers resolution to block Trump’s tariffs

US House Representative Gregory Meeks of New York said he will offer a resolution to “terminate” Trump’s “illegal and absurd tariffs immediately.”

“I’m here in Copenhagen and in every conversation I’ve had, officials have made clear: Greenland is not for sale,” Meeks, the top Democrat on the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said in a statement posted on X.   

“Trump is manufacturing a foreign crisis and sabotaging our closest alliance — all while ignoring the real crisis the American people actually care about: affordablity,” the statement added, referring to cost-of-living struggles Americans face.   

It’s unclear if such a resolution would pass if brought to the floor of the Republican-majority US House of Representatives.

Some Republicans in Congress have also criticized Trump’s plans to acquire Greenland, such as US Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska. 

Following Trump’s announcement of fresh tariffs on Denmark, Germany, France and several other US allies, Bacon posted on Facebook that “Congress must reclaim tariff authorities.”   

“There’s a reason James Madison put tariff authorities under Article One,” Bacon posted on X, referring to Article I of the US Constitution. Madison was one of the framers of the Constitution and served as president from 1809 to 1817,  

Article I, Section 8 of the US Constitution reads: “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises.”

The US Supreme Court is currently deliberating the constitutionality of Trump’s tariffs on US trading partners. In its second term, the Trump administration has invoked the International Economic Powers Act of 1977 to implement the duties and bypass Congress.Â