According to President Trump, “Tariff is the most beautiful word in the dictionary.” Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump promised to use tariffs as a central part of his foreign policy strategy. His America First Trade Policy memorandum also directs the administration to review various tariff- and tariff-adjacent levers the United States could use to further
USTR imposes fees and restrictions on certain maritime transport services
On April 17, 2025, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced a series of fees and restrictions intended to address China’s targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance. The announcement follows the USTR’s year-long investigation into China’s acts, policies, and practices under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Maritime transport services
Trump 2.0 – Tenth-Day digest for ASEAN and China
In recent weeks, the global trade landscape has been significantly impacted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, which have targeted numerous countries, including those in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China. Each country has reacted differently based on its economic relationship with the U.S., local industry concerns, and geopolitical considerations.
Key investigations and enforcement trends for Q2 2025
With President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the legal environment has been ever-changing. On Wednesday, April 9th, we gathered a group of regulatory attorneys from across Reed Smith’s global platform to provide a 90-minute CLE that outlines the key changes that have occurred during Trump’s first 100 days, as well as
U.S. imposes 10% baseline tariffs; higher reciprocal tariffs for targeted countries
Updated: April 3, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. ET to reflect the specific exemptions outlined in the unofficial version of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) modifications that will implement the reciprocal tariffs.
On April 2, President Trump signed a pair of executive orders as part of a “Liberation Day” ceremony in the
What impact will President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs have on the United Kingdom?
Background to the Reciprocal Plan on Trade
On February 13, the U.S. administration introduced its Fair and Reciprocal Plan on Trade, outlining its approach to reciprocal tariffs. The policy aims to address what the administration perceives as an unfair trade imbalance, where the U.S. maintains relatively low import tariffs while other countries impose higher
Tariff mitigation through alternative sourcing: Navigating customs country of origin compliance risks
In a time of escalating tariff tensions, companies are investing heavily in analyzing the impact of tariff changes on their business and adapting to the shifting trade landscape. To mitigate tariff impacts and maintain competitiveness, many explore supply chain adjustments, such as alternative sourcing or relocating production. While “tariff engineering” is becoming an increasingly popular
False Claims Act: 2024 enforcement trends and what to expect in 2025
In 2024, the Department of Justice saw a record number of qui tam actions under the False Claims Act (FCA), with total settlements and judgments exceeding $2.9 billion. Throughout this next year, we expect to see this uptick in enforcement continue, especially in light of the Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion policies
Trump adjusts steel and aluminum tariffs; directs Customs to increase enforcement
On February 10, President Trump signed two proclamations adjusting the already-existing Section 232 tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum. He also directed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to “dramatically increase” its enforcement efforts to prevent circumvention.
Increased tariff enforcement
The proclamations direct CBP to prioritize reviews of the classification of imported steel and
U.S. and China in tariff tit for tat; Canadian and Mexican tariffs delayed
Update: On February 1, 2025, President Trump signed three executive orders imposing U.S. tariffs on imports from Canada, China, and Mexico. These new tariffs are in addition to any already-existing duties and tariffs, including antidumping and countervailing duties, Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, and Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-origin