Multiple countries this week objected to President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement of new reciprocal tariffs against trading partners (see 2504020072), saying they either plan to retaliate or are assessing how to respond.
President Donald Trump's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to enact his sweeping "retaliatory" tariffs (see 2504020086) has drawn serious speculation about whether the statute can serve as a proper basis for invoking the tariffs. Trade lawyers told us that potential issues arising from the use of IEEPA include the existence of tariff-making authority to address trade deficits under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, the "major questions" doctrine and the way in which the tariffs were calculated.
A former Trump trade negotiator, Kelly Ann Shaw, described as "one of the key architects of the Administration’s trade, investment, energy and national security policies" in Trump's first term by her current law firm, said the reciprocal tariffs announced April 2, based on goods trade deficits, are not the same tariffs that will be in place weeks, months or years from now.
A day after President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs upon dozens of trading partners, including countries that the U.S. has historically had friendly relations with, customs brokers and importers have numerous questions, such as whether ACE has the ability to verify values accurately and what role drawback might have as companies respond to the tariffs.
The White House released two annexes to its proclamation setting 10% reciprocal tariffs April 5, and higher country-specific tariffs for some on April 9, including a list of goods excluded from the tariffs, some because they're potentially subject to Section 232 actions.
A resolution that would eliminate the fentanyl smuggling and migration emergency for Canada, and thereby end 25% and 10% tariffs on Canadian goods, passed the Senate April 2, 51-48.
Higher reciprocal tariffs announced by President Donald Trump will be imposed at the following rates beginning April 9, according to handouts distributed at the White House event announcing the tariffs (all countries with only the 10% universal tariff are omitted from the table):
The U.S. will impose additional 10% tariffs on most imports, but not on Mexican and Canadian goods, information goods like books, music or films, or any goods either subject to Section 232 tariffs or among goods that Trump is considering protecting under Section 232, including pharmaceuticals, copper, lumber, semiconductors, certain critical minerals, and energy and energy products.
President Donald Trump is imposing 10% tariffs on all imports other than those from Canada and Mexico, beginning April 5, according to a call detailing the reciprocal tariff actions ahead of the speech. These tariffs are not on top of Section 232 tariffs on autos and metals, a senior government official said on the call.
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