Latest news on trade tariffs
Read the latest news stories as they are published.
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs against US go into effect
Talks can resume when US ‘starts being serious’: Carney
US-Canada tariffs may shift auto production mix
Alberta premier rejects energy leverage in US trade war
Canada to double tariff on US steel, aluminum
Brazil, US to meet on tariffs after Lula-Trump call
US levels new tariff threat against EU
Brazil's chemical industry decries new US tariffs
US-China 'board of trade' development begins
Talks can resume when US ‘starts being serious’: Carney
Talks can resume when US ‘starts being serious’: Carney
Calgary, 1 September (Argus) — Canada is prepared to resume trade talks with the US but is not inclined to do so until its southern neighbor's strategy becomes more constructive, prime minister Mark Carney said today. "When the Americans stop doing memes, stop throwing shade, stop trying to be tough, and start being serious about having those discussions, we can have those discussions," said Carney in Ottawa on Tuesday. The US on 22 August imposed new tariffs on $28bn of Canadian imports using Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 after trade talks between the two countries broke down the evening before. Canada has vowed to retaliate "dollar for dollar" starting on 8 September. US president Donald Trump on 24 August called Canada "among the worst Nations in the World to deal with" before renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America days later. Carney said negotiations were derailed by unreasonable US demands, suggesting they would have put Canada's sovereignty at risk. Carney's comments came the day after his party and trade strategy got a boost from voters who elected three Liberal candidates in special elections to regain the party's majority position. The governing Liberals now hold 173 of the 343 seats in the House of Commons, allowing the passage of legislation without support from any of the other parties. The Conservatives remain the official opposition with 138 seats. The special elections were held to replace members of parliament who had resigned from their posts between general elections, which had temporarily reduced the Liberals' to slightly below majority status. Byelections were held in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, the three provinces hit the hardest by punitive US tariffs on Canadian goods. The US' latest trade action has nearly tripled the estimated effective tariff rate on imports from British Columbia to about 11pc, while roughly doubling the rate on imports from Quebec and Ontario to about 11pc and 8pc, respectively, according to ATB Financial. About 52pc of Canadians said they are "personally willing to undergo some significant economic pain" to help the rest of Canada amid the trade battle, according to a recent Ipsos poll. About 73pc of those polled support imposing an export tariff on crude oil, natural gas and electricity, while 69pc support limiting energy exports to the US altogether. Because of tariff exemptions by Trump on energy imports, Alberta and Saskatchewan have been relatively unscathed and have both advocated diplomacy over retaliation. By Brett Holmes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Alberta premier rejects energy leverage in US trade war
Alberta premier rejects energy leverage in US trade war
Calgary, 26 August (Argus) — Alberta premier Danielle Smith is rejecting calls to curtail or place surcharges on Canadian hydrocarbons exports to the US, proposing instead that Canada be "too friendly, kind and helpful to resist" in the long-time allies' renewed trade war . Such a strategy would aim at "deescalating and doubling down on diplomacy with members of the US congress and governors from both parties" Smith said Wednesday, which would "give the American people and their leaders the time they need to reverse these terrible policies after the November midterms." Smith's comments countered calls from the leader of the Alberta's official opposition party for the federal government to tax energy exports to the US as leverage in the trade dispute, following the breakdown in trade talks over the weekend. Ontario premier Doug Ford — who briefly placed a tariff on its electricity exports to the US during the early rounds of the trade dispute in March 2025 — said Wednesday that "everything's on the table" in the current trade dispute, but any broader action would require coordination with other provinces. Quebec premier Christine Frechette, whose province provides hydropower throughout New England and New York, said earlier this week she did "not want to exclude anything in terms of measures." Smith warned Wednesday that leveraging Canadian energy exports could incur "an equal and opposite and even more forceful reaction" from the US that could hurt the country significantly. That could include reciprocal tariffs or curtailments on US oil and gas and refined products exports to Canada, which "would bring the economies of Ontario and Quebec to a grinding halt." The US could replace Canadian imports with heavy crude from Venezuela by reversing flows on existing pipelines, Smith said, which may mean losing the US as a customer "entirely and maybe forever". The premier expressed support for expanding Alberta hydrocarbon flows to eastern Canada and recent federal government measures aimed at insulating Canadian firms from the impact of the trade dispute. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has previously downplayed the prospect of restricting energy exports to the US, but noted over the weekend that Canada provides the US with 85pc of its electricity imports, 95pc of its natural gas imports and 60pc of crude oil imports. "I don't think they want us to stop sending any of that," he said. By Behbod Negahban Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Canada to double tariff on US steel, aluminum
Canada to double tariff on US steel, aluminum
Washington, 25 August (Argus) — Canada will set 50pc tariffs on imported US steel and aluminum from 8 September as part of a retaliatory package targeting $28bn of imports from its southern neighbor. The move doubles Canadian tariffs on US steel and aluminum from 25pc, matching US taxes of 50pc on imports of those products from Canada. The Canadian government announced the retaliatory package of tariffs on Tuesday, days after the US implemented a 50pc tariff on cement, plywood and other imports from Canada. The new US tariffs took effect on 22 August. The latest US tariffs and Canada's retaliatory tariffs do not apply to energy, potash fertilizer or critical minerals, but they will add additional costs to other key US imports. Raising tariffs on cars and auto parts will further disrupt the integrated North American auto industry. Trade talks between the US and Canada ended abruptly last week, and no new talks are planned. US president Donald Trump and Canadian province Ontario premiere Doug Ford traded insults on social media and on TV in the past two days. Trump on Tuesday said the US is considering renaming the shared Lake Ontario to "Lake America". Trump on Monday threatened to double tariffs on cars and auto parts made in Canada to 50pc from 1 January. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Brazil, US to meet on tariffs after Lula-Trump call
Brazil, US to meet on tariffs after Lula-Trump call
Sao Paulo, 24 August (Argus) — Brazilian and US representatives will meet this week to discuss US tariffs on Brazilian imports imposed in July, following a phone call between the presidents of both countries last week. The US' trade representative Jamieson Greer reached out to the Brazilian government shortly after presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Donald Trump spoke on the phone last week , according to Brazilian officials. Lula told Trump then that the US' 25pc tariffs on Brazilian products were "unfounded". Brazil's trade minister Marcio Rosa and representatives from the foreign affairs ministry will meet with the US' Office of Trade Representative (USTR) this week, the Brazilian government said, but a specific date was not disclosed. The USTR imposed the tariffs as a result of a year-long "Section 301" investigation into unfair Brazilian trade practices, citing a restrictive ethanol market as one of the reasons for the probe. Other factors included concerns over organized crime, corruption, deforestation and unfair competition from Brazil's digital payments system, Pix. Although many products — such as pig iron, iron ore, rare-earth metals, crude, coffee and beef — are exempt from the tariffs, many others, such as ethanol, sugar and beef tallow, are not. By Lucas Parolin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US says it can not pay tariff refunds quickly
US says it can not pay tariff refunds quickly
Washington, 6 March (Argus) — President Donald Trump's administration said it is unable to comply with a recent court order to begin refunding $166bn in tariffs the US Supreme Court has struck down, and that setting up systems to handle mass refund requests will probably take 45 days. The administration is making "all possible efforts" to install automated systems that can issue refunds to more than 330,000 importers that made 53mn customs entries under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a top customs official said. But making immediate changes is not possible because doing so could clash with other deadlines and divert staff away from "imminent threats" to national security and the economy, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official said. "CBP has never been ordered to, nor has it attempted to, process a volume of refunds anywhere near the volume of total entries and Entry Summary lines on which IEEPA duties have been deposited," CBP trade programs executive director Brandon Lord wrote in a declaration filed in federal court on Friday. The administration's stated difficulty in paying the ordered refunds could offer legal ammunition to states that have filed a lawsuit to block new 10pc tariffs that Trump imposed last month. The administration successfully avoided a court-ordered freeze on its IEEPA tariffs last year by pledging to pay refunds if they were struck down. But the expectation of weeks of delay in paying out refunds could test the patience of federal judges hearing the latest tariff lawsuit. The US Court of International Trade on 4 March ordered CBP to strip out IEEPA tariffs owed on "any and all" imported goods, with a focus on taking out the tariffs during "liquidation" — the calculation of final duties — on all customs entries. The Trump administration earlier this week already conceded it will pay interest on refunds it is require to make, which economists expect will result in billions of dollars of additional payments paid back to importers. Lord, in his declaration, said CBP is "not able" to comply with court order earlier this because its systems were already set up to automatically liquidate more than 300,000 custom entries every week. Halting liquidation and offering refunds would require CBP staff to spend 4mn hours to manually input refunds, he said, whereas the automated system still being developed would "streamline and consolidate refunds and interest payments" for the affected 330,000 importers. Under the planned automated system, refunds would not occur automatically. Lord said importers would have to file a "declaration" with a list of entries on which IEEPA duties were paid, after which CBP would validate the declaration "as soon as practicable". The system would then finalize the entries and pay out refunds electronically. But Lord identified a potential obstacle, which is that just 21,000 of the 330,000 importers paying IEEPA tariffs have taken steps to receive refunds electronically. Federal judge Richard Eaton, who is hearing all tariff refund cases in the US Court of International Trade, has yet to respond to CBP's declaration. The court could order additional requirements to handle the tariff refunds. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US court orders refunds on Trump's IEEPA tariffs
US court orders refunds on Trump's IEEPA tariffs
Washington, 4 March (Argus) — A federal court has ordered President Donald Trump's administration to begin processing refunds on tens of billions of dollars in emergency tariffs the US Supreme Court said last month were unlawful. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) must recalculate final duties owed on "any and all" imported goods without including the tariffs that Trump imposed under law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Richard Eaton, a judge on the US Court of International Trade, wrote in a three-page decision on Wednesday. Eaton, who said he is the only judge on the court hearing IEEPA tariff refund cases, said the Supreme Court's decision that struck down Trump's emergency tariffs should provide across-the-board relief, even to those that had not filed lawsuits. Thousands of companies have already filed lawsuits seeking refunds of the IEEPA tariffs, which collected an estimated $175bn from importers during the nearly one-year period when Trump had them in effect. "All importers of record whose entries were subject to IEEPA duties are entitled to the benefit of the Learning Resources decision," Eaton wrote, referencing the name of the Supreme Court's tariff ruling. The court's order does not explicitly lay out the refund process, but instead applies to customs entries that are "unliquidated" — those that are pending — and those that are liquidated but not yet final. The order, issued as part of a tariff refund lawsuit an air filtration product company filed less than a week ago, suggests that courts intend to move quickly on refunds after the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling finding Trump had no authority to impose his emergency tariffs. Earlier this week, a federal appeals court denied a request by the Trump administration for a months-long delay in court proceedings over tariff refunds, allowing tariff lawsuits to resume in the Court of International Trade. Trump previously said the refund process might take "years" to resolve in court. The Trump administration told Eaton this week it was still considering "next steps" for the Supreme Court opinion, including the mechanics and "scope" of refunds. As of Wednesday, CBP said it had not paid refunds on any of the IEEPA tariffs. In a court filing earlier on Wednesday, the administration conceded that it would have to also pay interest on any tariff refunds it is required to make. The cumulative interest payments on the refunded tariffs could reach $700mn each month, according to calculations the think tank Cato Institute published this week. US senator Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), in a letter on Wednesday to administration officials, said that the Trump administration's "dithering" on tariff refunds had created an opening for those on Wall Street to offer small companies with immediate cash needs "pennies on the dollars" to purchase their tariff refund rights. Further delaying tariff refunds would result in "more pain" for US companies and their customers, he wrote. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
FedEx sues US for tariff refunds
FedEx sues US for tariff refunds
Houston, 24 February (Argus) — Global shipping giant FedEx has filed a lawsuit seeking tariff refunds from the US administration after the Supreme Court threw out most of the import duties imposed last year. FedEx, which transports goods into the US from many of the tariffed countries on behalf of its customers, said it has "suffered injury" caused by the now-cancelled tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The company said in the lawsuit it is seeking a full refund with interest of tariffs it paid, but did not mention a specific monetary figure. Separately, FedEx posted a notice on its website saying it "has taken necessary action to protect the company's rights as an importer of record to seek duty refunds from US Customs and Border Protection" but that no refund process has been established by regulators or the courts at this time. FedEx is waiting for additional guidance from the US and the courts, the notice said. The US had collected $133bn in tariffs under IEEPA as of December, but that amount has since likely risen to $175bn, according to economists at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School. Hundreds of companies, including refiners Valero and Marathon Petroleum have previously filed lawsuits seeking to recover tariffs they have paid to the US for imported goods. But recovering the duties will be challenging due to the billions of dollars involved and the sheer number of importers that could be eligible for refunds. The upcoming refund process is likely to be a "mess" as the US may be required to refund "billions of dollars" to importers, associate supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a dissent to the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision throwing out the tariffs. Trump said he is expecting a years-long court fight over whether his administration must refund the tariffs. A new 10pc tariff on all US imports using a different law, Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Expansion Act, went into effect today , while Trump on 21 February said he will increased that tariff to 15pc tariff . By Eunice Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US high court strikes down Trump's tariffs: Update
US high court strikes down Trump's tariffs: Update
Updates with details throughout Washington, 20 February (Argus) — The US Supreme Court has thrown out most of the tariffs President Donald Trump has imposed on nearly all US trading partners, finding his ability to unilaterally impose tariffs exceeded his powers under a decades-old law. The Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling released on Friday will block Trump's ability to use tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to extract concessions from trading partners and punish countries that reject his demands. The Constitution "did not vest any part of the taxing power in the executive branch," chief justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion, backed by two other conservative justices and all three liberal justices. Trump, speaking hours after the court announced its ruling, raged against the justices who overturned his tariffs. "I'm ashamed of certain members of the court for not having the courage to do what's right for our country," Trump said. "It's an embarrassment to the families" of justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, he said. Trump appointed both justices during his first term. The majority opinion noted that "the Framers gave 'Congress alone' the power to impose tariffs during peacetime." Trump "must 'point to clear congressional authorization' to justify his extraordinary assertion of that power," the majority opinion said, adding that "He cannot." Trump scoffed at the opinion. "The court said that I'm not allowed to charge even one dollar under IEEPA", he said and suggested that the six justices were "swayed by foreign interests". What is affected? The Supreme Court decision affects Trump's tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, where he cited an economic emergency created by the three countries' alleged inaction to stop the flow of fentanyl drugs into the US. The Supreme Court ruling also strikes down Trump's most extensive action — imposing tariffs of at least 10pc on nearly every US trading partner to address the "economic emergency" of persistent US trade deficits. The Supreme Court's decision also will affect the tariffs Trump imposed on imports from Brazil, US government lawyers informed the Court of International Trade last month. Trump cited Brazil's alleged suppression of freedom of speech as a reason to impose tariffs. The decision will not affect tariffs on US imports of steel, aluminum, cars and auto parts, which Trump imposed by citing well-tested legal trade authorities. Next steps Trump said he will sign an executive order later on Friday to impose a 10pc broad tariff on all US trading partners, in place of the struck down IEEPA tariffs. Trump said that action will invoke Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, which allows imposing tariffs of up to 15pc to address a balance of payments issue. But that legal avenue comes with limitations. The administration can impose those tariffs only for a period of 150 days. Any extensions would require explicit authorization from Congress. The Republican-led US Congress has not challenged Trump's tariff authority to date, although lawmakers have increasingly voiced concerns about the effect of tariffs on prices. The House of Representatives and the Senate have voted on separate resolutions challenging the tariffs Trump has imposed on imports from Canada and Brazil, but they have not passed any tariff legislation. "Congress and the administration will determine the best path forward in the coming weeks" with respect to tariffs, House of Representatives speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said. But Trump likely would have trouble finding enough votes on Capitol Hill to support his tariffs. "The president must refrain from any further unilateral action on tariffs," House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) said. Trump said he does not plan to work with Congress on tariffs. "I have the right to do tariffs," he said. "We have a right to do pretty much what we want to do." The Trump administration will also quickly begin the legal process for replicating the IEEPA tariffs with "Section 202" and "Section 301" tariffs, US trade representative Jamieson Greer said, speaking alongside Trump. A "Section 232" authority allows the Commerce Department or US Trade Representative's office to determine whether imports of a product need to be curbed on national security grounds. A Section 301 investigation would target a specific country on the grounds that it is discriminating against US exports. In both cases, the process for imposing tariffs can take months. It also requires public consultation and allows carveouts for the affected US importers. The use of Section 232 and 301 authorities is "a little more complicated" than IEEPA, and "those will also be challenged", Trump's former trade representative Bob Lighthizer told participants at the Argus Americas Crude Summit in Houston on 4 February. Trump's administration will have its work cut out for it in deciding how, and whether, to refund an estimated $175bn in tariffs collected using IEEPA tariffs. Trump in his remarks suggested that the refund process could take years. Hundreds of companies, including refiners Valero and Marathon Petroleum, have already filed lawsuits seeking to recover the tariffs. The effective US tariff rate was around 13pc as of late 2025, up from 2.6pc a year earlier, according to research published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on 12 February. US companies and consumers paid about 90pc of the tariff burden, with only a fraction absorbed by foreign producers, the Fed researchers found. Foreign governments did not immediately react to the US court's tariff decision. "We take note of the ruling," the EU said. "We remain in close contact with the US administration as we seek clarity on the steps they intend to take in response to this ruling." By Haik Gugarats and Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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Brazil, US to meet on tariffs after Lula-Trump call
Brazil, US to meet on tariffs after Lula-Trump call
Sao Paulo, 24 August (Argus) — Brazilian and US representatives will meet this week to discuss US tariffs on Brazilian imports imposed in July, following a phone call between the presidents of both countries last week. The US' trade representative Jamieson Greer reached out to the Brazilian government shortly after presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Donald Trump spoke on the phone last week , according to Brazilian officials. Lula told Trump then that the US' 25pc tariffs on Brazilian products were "unfounded". Brazil's trade minister Marcio Rosa and representatives from the foreign affairs ministry will meet with the US' Office of Trade Representative (USTR) this week, the Brazilian government said, but a specific date was not disclosed. The USTR imposed the tariffs as a result of a year-long "Section 301" investigation into unfair Brazilian trade practices, citing a restrictive ethanol market as one of the reasons for the probe. Other factors included concerns over organized crime, corruption, deforestation and unfair competition from Brazil's digital payments system, Pix. Although many products — such as pig iron, iron ore, rare-earth metals, crude, coffee and beef — are exempt from the tariffs, many others, such as ethanol, sugar and beef tallow, are not. By Lucas Parolin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US court orders refunds on Trump's IEEPA tariffs
US court orders refunds on Trump's IEEPA tariffs
Washington, 4 March (Argus) — A federal court has ordered President Donald Trump's administration to begin processing refunds on tens of billions of dollars in emergency tariffs the US Supreme Court said last month were unlawful. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) must recalculate final duties owed on "any and all" imported goods without including the tariffs that Trump imposed under law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Richard Eaton, a judge on the US Court of International Trade, wrote in a three-page decision on Wednesday. Eaton, who said he is the only judge on the court hearing IEEPA tariff refund cases, said the Supreme Court's decision that struck down Trump's emergency tariffs should provide across-the-board relief, even to those that had not filed lawsuits. Thousands of companies have already filed lawsuits seeking refunds of the IEEPA tariffs, which collected an estimated $175bn from importers during the nearly one-year period when Trump had them in effect. "All importers of record whose entries were subject to IEEPA duties are entitled to the benefit of the Learning Resources decision," Eaton wrote, referencing the name of the Supreme Court's tariff ruling. The court's order does not explicitly lay out the refund process, but instead applies to customs entries that are "unliquidated" — those that are pending — and those that are liquidated but not yet final. The order, issued as part of a tariff refund lawsuit an air filtration product company filed less than a week ago, suggests that courts intend to move quickly on refunds after the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling finding Trump had no authority to impose his emergency tariffs. Earlier this week, a federal appeals court denied a request by the Trump administration for a months-long delay in court proceedings over tariff refunds, allowing tariff lawsuits to resume in the Court of International Trade. Trump previously said the refund process might take "years" to resolve in court. The Trump administration told Eaton this week it was still considering "next steps" for the Supreme Court opinion, including the mechanics and "scope" of refunds. As of Wednesday, CBP said it had not paid refunds on any of the IEEPA tariffs. In a court filing earlier on Wednesday, the administration conceded that it would have to also pay interest on any tariff refunds it is required to make. The cumulative interest payments on the refunded tariffs could reach $700mn each month, according to calculations the think tank Cato Institute published this week. US senator Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), in a letter on Wednesday to administration officials, said that the Trump administration's "dithering" on tariff refunds had created an opening for those on Wall Street to offer small companies with immediate cash needs "pennies on the dollars" to purchase their tariff refund rights. Further delaying tariff refunds would result in "more pain" for US companies and their customers, he wrote. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
New US 10pc tariff goes into effect
New US 10pc tariff goes into effect
Washington, 24 February (Argus) — A new 10pc tariff on US imports from all countries went into effect on Tuesday, replacing the emergency tariffs imposed last year that the Supreme Court struck down on 20 February. The new tariff will exempt energy, critical minerals, fertilizers and certain agricultural imports. It will also exempt imports eligible for duty-free treatment under the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement. The 10pc tariff will not be added on top of existing sectoral duties on steel, aluminum, copper, cars and auto parts. President Donald Trump on 20 February invoked Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Expansion Act to impose the 10pc tariff. A day later, Trump posted on his social media platform that he would raise the rate to 15pc, but the social media post does not have legal force. The US will assess the Section 122 duty at the 10pc level, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency said late on Monday. The law cited by Trump allows him to maintain the 10pc tariff for a period of 150 days, unless the US Congress authorizes an extension. CBP also said it will stop collecting the invalidated emergency tariffs effective on Tuesday. The agency said it was ready to "implement current and any forthcoming executive actions as directed by the president" with regard to refunding an estimated $175bn in tariffs the US Supreme Court said were imposed unlawfully. Trump said he is expecting a years-long court fight over refunds. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Trump threatens 15pc tariff on all US imports
Trump threatens 15pc tariff on all US imports
Washington, 21 February (Argus) — President Donald Trump on Saturday said he will slap a 15pc tariff on all US imports, less than 24 hours after his administration unveiled a 10pc global import tax meant to replace the emergency tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court on Friday. Trump, in a social media post, said that he "will be, effective immediately, raising the 10pc Worldwide Tariff on Countries, many of which have been 'ripping' the U.S. off for decades, without retribution (until I came along!), to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15pc level". Trump cited "a thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued" on Friday as a justification for his decision. The White House has yet to release an official record of any decision to implement Trump's 15pc tariff threat. Trump on Friday had to rescind executive orders he signed in the past year that imposed tariffs by invoking the economic emergency authority that the Supreme Court found to be illegal. Trump, in a separate proclamation on Friday, invoked Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act to impose a 10pc tax on all US imports from 24 February. Trump's decision on Friday exempted energy, critical minerals, fertilizers and certain agricultural imports from new import taxes. The 10pc tax, which was to be in effect for 150 days — until 24 July — exempted imports eligible for duty-free treatment under the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement (USMCA). Why 10pc or 15pc? It is not clear why Trump announced on Saturday that he would raise the Section 122 tariff to the maximally allowed 15pc, or why his administration initially chose a lower rate, at 10pc. The Trump administration had signaled since mid-January that it would opt for a 10pc tariff under Section 122 authority if the Supreme Court struck down Trump's emergency tariff. The Trump administration said it was planning to use the 150-day duration of the Section 122 tariffs to rapidly put in place other tariffs targeting specific industries and countries under existing, previously used trade authorities. While Trump said that his Section 122 tariff authority is "legally tested", no other president has invoked this power, and US courts have not weighed on its merits before. But Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh, who dissented from the majority decision that struck down Trump's emergency tariffs, cited Section 122 five times in his separate opinion issued on Friday. Kavanaugh argued that since Congress delegated to the executive branch broad tariff authority to impose tariffs under Section 122 and multiple other laws, there was no reason to dispute Trump's authority to impose tariffs by invoking economic emergencies. Trump on Saturday called Kavanaugh "my new hero", together with two other justices who voted to uphold Trump's tariffs. Trump continued to lob insults at conservative justices who voted to strike down his tariffs, calling them "fools" and "lapdogs" of "radical left Democrats". More court action likely Despite criticism of the court's decision, Trump and his top officials have tried to put a positive spin on the ruling by arguing that he will instead impose "stronger" tariffs and raise even more revenue. But his Section 122 tariffs likely will face challenges in courts. The Supreme Court's majority opinion hinged on the finding that Congress did not explicitly authorize Trump to impose taxes, in the form of tariffs, under the legal authority he has cited. Chief justice John Roberts and two of the justices Trump appointed during his first term, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, also referenced the "major questions" doctrine to justify their decision, meaning that Congress, not the White House, should decide on matters of major economic significance. Trump has left little doubt that he plans to bypass Congress in rolling out new tariffs. "I have the right to do tariffs," he said on Friday. "We have a right to do pretty much what we want to do." The Republican-led US Congress has not challenged Trump's tariff authority to date, although lawmakers have increasingly voiced concerns about the effect of tariffs on prices. In the House of Representatives, where the Republican majority has shrunk to one, several Republican members have expressed support for the Supreme Court's decision. Trump on Saturday blasted one of those lawmakers, Jeff Hurd (R-Colorado), for "a lack of support, in particular for the unbelievably successful TARIFFS imposed on Foreign Countries and Companies". Trump endorsed Hurd's opponent in the upcoming Republican primary. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Brazil, US to meet on tariffs after Lula-Trump call
Brazil, US to meet on tariffs after Lula-Trump call
Sao Paulo, 24 August (Argus) — Brazilian and US representatives will meet this week to discuss US tariffs on Brazilian imports imposed in July, following a phone call between the presidents of both countries last week. The US' trade representative Jamieson Greer reached out to the Brazilian government shortly after presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Donald Trump spoke on the phone last week , according to Brazilian officials. Lula told Trump then that the US' 25pc tariffs on Brazilian products were "unfounded". Brazil's trade minister Marcio Rosa and representatives from the foreign affairs ministry will meet with the US' Office of Trade Representative (USTR) this week, the Brazilian government said, but a specific date was not disclosed. The USTR imposed the tariffs as a result of a year-long "Section 301" investigation into unfair Brazilian trade practices, citing a restrictive ethanol market as one of the reasons for the probe. Other factors included concerns over organized crime, corruption, deforestation and unfair competition from Brazil's digital payments system, Pix. Although many products — such as pig iron, iron ore, rare-earth metals, crude, coffee and beef — are exempt from the tariffs, many others, such as ethanol, sugar and beef tallow, are not. By Lucas Parolin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US levels new tariff threat against EU
US levels new tariff threat against EU
Washington, 24 July (Argus) — President Donald Trump's administration is threatening to impose new tariffs on US imports from the EU, just a month after the European parliament approved the economic bloc's trade agreement with the US. "The European Union is at it again and, as usual, taking direct aim at GREAT American Companies," Trump said in a social media post. The US Trade Representative's office (USTR) complained that the European Commission has just imposed a $1bn fine on Google, following other recent anti-trust measures against US tech giants. The US will launch a "Section 301" investigation against the EU's "practice of 'ROBBING' American Companies and, in turn, the American Taxpayer," Trump posted. The US has just imposed a 10pc tariff on imports from the EU, following an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Expansion Act of 301 into Europe's alleged lack of diligence in banning imports of products produced by forced labor in third party countries. There is another Section 301 investigation underway against the EU related to "structural excess capacity and production in manufacturing sectors." The US-EU trade deal last year capped potential punitive US tariff rates at 15pc for imports from the European bloc. Trump earlier this month said he would to cut off all trade with Spain , an EU member, for not supporting the US war effort against Iran, but he did not follow up on his threat. The EU mission in Washington did not immediately comment on Trump's threat. The European Commission on Thursday highlighted the benefits of the US-EU deal signed almost a year ago, highlighting that EU companies closed deals with US exporters worth €230bn ($262bn) of energy resources in the past year. The EU has refrained from retaliating in kind against Trump's tariff in order to preserve cooperation on defense and weapons sales to Ukraine. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
New US 10pc tariff goes into effect
New US 10pc tariff goes into effect
Washington, 24 February (Argus) — A new 10pc tariff on US imports from all countries went into effect on Tuesday, replacing the emergency tariffs imposed last year that the Supreme Court struck down on 20 February. The new tariff will exempt energy, critical minerals, fertilizers and certain agricultural imports. It will also exempt imports eligible for duty-free treatment under the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement. The 10pc tariff will not be added on top of existing sectoral duties on steel, aluminum, copper, cars and auto parts. President Donald Trump on 20 February invoked Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Expansion Act to impose the 10pc tariff. A day later, Trump posted on his social media platform that he would raise the rate to 15pc, but the social media post does not have legal force. The US will assess the Section 122 duty at the 10pc level, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency said late on Monday. The law cited by Trump allows him to maintain the 10pc tariff for a period of 150 days, unless the US Congress authorizes an extension. CBP also said it will stop collecting the invalidated emergency tariffs effective on Tuesday. The agency said it was ready to "implement current and any forthcoming executive actions as directed by the president" with regard to refunding an estimated $175bn in tariffs the US Supreme Court said were imposed unlawfully. Trump said he is expecting a years-long court fight over refunds. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Trump threatens 15pc tariff on all US imports
Trump threatens 15pc tariff on all US imports
Washington, 21 February (Argus) — President Donald Trump on Saturday said he will slap a 15pc tariff on all US imports, less than 24 hours after his administration unveiled a 10pc global import tax meant to replace the emergency tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court on Friday. Trump, in a social media post, said that he "will be, effective immediately, raising the 10pc Worldwide Tariff on Countries, many of which have been 'ripping' the U.S. off for decades, without retribution (until I came along!), to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15pc level". Trump cited "a thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued" on Friday as a justification for his decision. The White House has yet to release an official record of any decision to implement Trump's 15pc tariff threat. Trump on Friday had to rescind executive orders he signed in the past year that imposed tariffs by invoking the economic emergency authority that the Supreme Court found to be illegal. Trump, in a separate proclamation on Friday, invoked Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act to impose a 10pc tax on all US imports from 24 February. Trump's decision on Friday exempted energy, critical minerals, fertilizers and certain agricultural imports from new import taxes. The 10pc tax, which was to be in effect for 150 days — until 24 July — exempted imports eligible for duty-free treatment under the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement (USMCA). Why 10pc or 15pc? It is not clear why Trump announced on Saturday that he would raise the Section 122 tariff to the maximally allowed 15pc, or why his administration initially chose a lower rate, at 10pc. The Trump administration had signaled since mid-January that it would opt for a 10pc tariff under Section 122 authority if the Supreme Court struck down Trump's emergency tariff. The Trump administration said it was planning to use the 150-day duration of the Section 122 tariffs to rapidly put in place other tariffs targeting specific industries and countries under existing, previously used trade authorities. While Trump said that his Section 122 tariff authority is "legally tested", no other president has invoked this power, and US courts have not weighed on its merits before. But Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh, who dissented from the majority decision that struck down Trump's emergency tariffs, cited Section 122 five times in his separate opinion issued on Friday. Kavanaugh argued that since Congress delegated to the executive branch broad tariff authority to impose tariffs under Section 122 and multiple other laws, there was no reason to dispute Trump's authority to impose tariffs by invoking economic emergencies. Trump on Saturday called Kavanaugh "my new hero", together with two other justices who voted to uphold Trump's tariffs. Trump continued to lob insults at conservative justices who voted to strike down his tariffs, calling them "fools" and "lapdogs" of "radical left Democrats". More court action likely Despite criticism of the court's decision, Trump and his top officials have tried to put a positive spin on the ruling by arguing that he will instead impose "stronger" tariffs and raise even more revenue. But his Section 122 tariffs likely will face challenges in courts. The Supreme Court's majority opinion hinged on the finding that Congress did not explicitly authorize Trump to impose taxes, in the form of tariffs, under the legal authority he has cited. Chief justice John Roberts and two of the justices Trump appointed during his first term, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, also referenced the "major questions" doctrine to justify their decision, meaning that Congress, not the White House, should decide on matters of major economic significance. Trump has left little doubt that he plans to bypass Congress in rolling out new tariffs. "I have the right to do tariffs," he said on Friday. "We have a right to do pretty much what we want to do." The Republican-led US Congress has not challenged Trump's tariff authority to date, although lawmakers have increasingly voiced concerns about the effect of tariffs on prices. In the House of Representatives, where the Republican majority has shrunk to one, several Republican members have expressed support for the Supreme Court's decision. Trump on Saturday blasted one of those lawmakers, Jeff Hurd (R-Colorado), for "a lack of support, in particular for the unbelievably successful TARIFFS imposed on Foreign Countries and Companies". Trump endorsed Hurd's opponent in the upcoming Republican primary. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Talks can resume when US ‘starts being serious’: Carney
Talks can resume when US ‘starts being serious’: Carney
Calgary, 1 September (Argus) — Canada is prepared to resume trade talks with the US but is not inclined to do so until its southern neighbor's strategy becomes more constructive, prime minister Mark Carney said today. "When the Americans stop doing memes, stop throwing shade, stop trying to be tough, and start being serious about having those discussions, we can have those discussions," said Carney in Ottawa on Tuesday. The US on 22 August imposed new tariffs on $28bn of Canadian imports using Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 after trade talks between the two countries broke down the evening before. Canada has vowed to retaliate "dollar for dollar" starting on 8 September. US president Donald Trump on 24 August called Canada "among the worst Nations in the World to deal with" before renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America days later. Carney said negotiations were derailed by unreasonable US demands, suggesting they would have put Canada's sovereignty at risk. Carney's comments came the day after his party and trade strategy got a boost from voters who elected three Liberal candidates in special elections to regain the party's majority position. The governing Liberals now hold 173 of the 343 seats in the House of Commons, allowing the passage of legislation without support from any of the other parties. The Conservatives remain the official opposition with 138 seats. The special elections were held to replace members of parliament who had resigned from their posts between general elections, which had temporarily reduced the Liberals' to slightly below majority status. Byelections were held in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, the three provinces hit the hardest by punitive US tariffs on Canadian goods. The US' latest trade action has nearly tripled the estimated effective tariff rate on imports from British Columbia to about 11pc, while roughly doubling the rate on imports from Quebec and Ontario to about 11pc and 8pc, respectively, according to ATB Financial. About 52pc of Canadians said they are "personally willing to undergo some significant economic pain" to help the rest of Canada amid the trade battle, according to a recent Ipsos poll. About 73pc of those polled support imposing an export tariff on crude oil, natural gas and electricity, while 69pc support limiting energy exports to the US altogether. Because of tariff exemptions by Trump on energy imports, Alberta and Saskatchewan have been relatively unscathed and have both advocated diplomacy over retaliation. By Brett Holmes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US-Canada tariffs may shift auto production mix
US-Canada tariffs may shift auto production mix
Pittsburgh, 27 August (Argus) — US automakers may accelerate production of higher-margin vehicles if the US raises tariffs on Canadian-built cars, parts and steel, according to Oxford Economics. US president Donald Trump threatened earlier this week to double tariffs on these products to 50pc starting January 2027 after trade talks broke down on 21 August. Canada responded on 25 August with a retaliatory package, including a 25pc tariff on some US vehicles starting 8 September. The North American auto industry is highly integrated, so additional tariffs would further disrupt trade and raise costs across the auto and steel supply chain. More than half of the parts and components in Canadian-built vehicles originate in the US, the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association said. Higher costs may push automakers to prioritize production of SUVs, pickup trucks and luxury cars, which tend to offer higher margins, Oxford Economics said. Any move toward larger models could affect vehicle demand in both countries, sending more buyers to the used-car market and raising prices, Oxford Economics said. Canadian exporters shipped roughly 80pc of their vehicles by volume to the US in 2025, accounting for 91pc of export value, while US vehicle exports to Canada made up 25pc of total US export volumes and 38pc of value, customs data show. US used-vehicle sales reached 1.44mn units in July, slightly higher than in June and bucking typical seasonal declines, Cox Automotive said. Honda, BMW, Stellantis, GM and Subaru declined to comment on the expected impact of the new tariffs, with one automaker noting that the tentative tariff is still four months away. The Trump administration has often revised, delayed or withdrawn tariff measures after initial announcements. Short-term focus for steel market participants remained elsewhere as buyers continued to grapple with a lack of domestic availability, while attempting to draw out details about 2027 contracts from suppliers. By Brad MacAulay Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Alberta premier rejects energy leverage in US trade war
Alberta premier rejects energy leverage in US trade war
Calgary, 26 August (Argus) — Alberta premier Danielle Smith is rejecting calls to curtail or place surcharges on Canadian hydrocarbons exports to the US, proposing instead that Canada be "too friendly, kind and helpful to resist" in the long-time allies' renewed trade war . Such a strategy would aim at "deescalating and doubling down on diplomacy with members of the US congress and governors from both parties" Smith said Wednesday, which would "give the American people and their leaders the time they need to reverse these terrible policies after the November midterms." Smith's comments countered calls from the leader of the Alberta's official opposition party for the federal government to tax energy exports to the US as leverage in the trade dispute, following the breakdown in trade talks over the weekend. Ontario premier Doug Ford — who briefly placed a tariff on its electricity exports to the US during the early rounds of the trade dispute in March 2025 — said Wednesday that "everything's on the table" in the current trade dispute, but any broader action would require coordination with other provinces. Quebec premier Christine Frechette, whose province provides hydropower throughout New England and New York, said earlier this week she did "not want to exclude anything in terms of measures." Smith warned Wednesday that leveraging Canadian energy exports could incur "an equal and opposite and even more forceful reaction" from the US that could hurt the country significantly. That could include reciprocal tariffs or curtailments on US oil and gas and refined products exports to Canada, which "would bring the economies of Ontario and Quebec to a grinding halt." The US could replace Canadian imports with heavy crude from Venezuela by reversing flows on existing pipelines, Smith said, which may mean losing the US as a customer "entirely and maybe forever". The premier expressed support for expanding Alberta hydrocarbon flows to eastern Canada and recent federal government measures aimed at insulating Canadian firms from the impact of the trade dispute. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has previously downplayed the prospect of restricting energy exports to the US, but noted over the weekend that Canada provides the US with 85pc of its electricity imports, 95pc of its natural gas imports and 60pc of crude oil imports. "I don't think they want us to stop sending any of that," he said. By Behbod Negahban Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Canada to double tariff on US steel, aluminum
Canada to double tariff on US steel, aluminum
Washington, 25 August (Argus) — Canada will set 50pc tariffs on imported US steel and aluminum from 8 September as part of a retaliatory package targeting $28bn of imports from its southern neighbor. The move doubles Canadian tariffs on US steel and aluminum from 25pc, matching US taxes of 50pc on imports of those products from Canada. The Canadian government announced the retaliatory package of tariffs on Tuesday, days after the US implemented a 50pc tariff on cement, plywood and other imports from Canada. The new US tariffs took effect on 22 August. The latest US tariffs and Canada's retaliatory tariffs do not apply to energy, potash fertilizer or critical minerals, but they will add additional costs to other key US imports. Raising tariffs on cars and auto parts will further disrupt the integrated North American auto industry. Trade talks between the US and Canada ended abruptly last week, and no new talks are planned. US president Donald Trump and Canadian province Ontario premiere Doug Ford traded insults on social media and on TV in the past two days. Trump on Tuesday said the US is considering renaming the shared Lake Ontario to "Lake America". Trump on Monday threatened to double tariffs on cars and auto parts made in Canada to 50pc from 1 January. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
