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
U.S. imposes tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico; retaliation promised
- U.S. imposes tariffs
Key investigations and enforcement trends for 2025
With U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent return to the White House, major regulatory changes are on the horizon for 2025. On Thursday, January 23rd, we gathered a group of regulatory attorneys from across Reed Smith to provide a one-hour CLE that outlined the key trends to watch for this year. In their latest
Navigating the FY 2025 NDAA: Impact on U.S. government contracting
On December 23, 2024, President Biden signed The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025 (P.L. 118-159) into law. The legislation authorizes $895.2 billion in funding for Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Energy (DOE) national security programs. Beyond authorizing spending and setting other priorities, NDAA introduces a range of provisions –
DHS expands UFLPA Entity List by over one-third
Effective January 15, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added 37 China-based companies to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List, marking the single largest expansion of the UFLPA Entity List since its creation in 2022. Included in the additions is a large supplier of critical minerals, as well as one of
U.S. tightens controls on advanced computing chips and global AI diffusion
On January 13, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released an interim final rule to revise U.S. export controls on advanced computing integrated circuits (ICs) and add a new control on artificial intelligence (AI) model weights for certain advanced, closed-weight, dual-use AI models. According to news reports, Biden administration officials have indicated that they
Federal judge halts enforcement of Arkansas’s foreign land ownership laws
On December 9, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas (the Court) issued a preliminary injunction enjoining Arkansas’s enforcement of Acts 636 and 174 (the Acts), which impose certain restrictions on foreign ownership of land and digital asset mining businesses in Arkansas. The Court’s decision addresses concerns a crypto mining company
Trump 2.0: Tariffs and China to take center stage
On November 5, 2024, the United States elected former President Donald Trump to become its 47th president. Following Trump’s re-election, and with Republicans gaining control Congress, U.S. trade policy is expected to undergo several significant changes based on Trump’s previous administration and his campaign promises.
In a recent blog post, our trade team outlines