This blog post summarizes trade regulatory developments which occurred during the week of April 12-18, 2025. It is current up to 12:00 pm ET on Friday, April 18, 2025. Any developments occurring after that time will be covered in next week’s update. Please continue to check Husch Blackwell’s First 100 Days of Trade series for
International Trade Insights
California Mounts Constitutional Challenge to IEEPA Tariffs
On April 16, 2025, the State of California filed a complaint against President Trump, the Secretary of Homeland Security and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) challenging the legality of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The complaint was filed in the District Court for the Northern District of California rather…
President Trump seeks Section 232 Investigation into Imports of Critical Minerals, Rare Earths and Derivative Products
On April 15, 2025, President Trump directed the Secretary of Commerce to initiate an investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 examining the threats to national security from imports of processed critical minerals and derivative products.
The latest Section 232 investigation follows the Trump Administration’s April 1, 2025 initiation of…
Trump Administration Initiates New Section 232 Probe on Pharmaceuticals and Semiconductors
Week Twelve in Trade – First 100 Days of the New Administration
U.S.-China Trade War Intensifies
On April 8, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order raising the reciprocal tariff rate on Chinese imports from 34% to 84%. This move followed his earlier warning that the U.S. would impose a 50% increase unless China withdrew its 34% retaliatory tariffs on American goods.
China swiftly responded by matching…
President Trump Expands Tariff Exemptions List
On April 12, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (“EO”) Clarification of Exceptions Under Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025, as Amended, which expanded the list of Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (“HTSUS”) codes exempted from the reciprocal tariffs that were announced on April 2, 2025. The exemptions apply retroactively to goods…
Further Changes to Shipments under $800 from China
On April 2, 2025 we reported that imports from China valued at $800 or less would no longer qualify for de minimis treatment starting May 2, 2025. On April 9, 2025 we reported the increase in tariffs and fees for imports of small value packages from China following issuance of Executive Order Amendment to Reciprocal…
Tariffs on China raised to 125%, Rates for Other Countries Lowered to 10% for 90 days
On April 9, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Modifying Reciprocal Tariff Rates to Reflect Trading Partner Retaliation and Alignment”, increasing the reciprocal tariff rates for China to 125%. Importantly, country-specific reciprocal rates for 83 countries that took effect on April 9, 2025, have been paused for a period of 90…
Petition Summary: Lattice-Boom Crawler Cranes, whether or not assembled, from Japan
On April 10, 2025 The Manitowoc Company, Inc. (“Manitowoc” or “Petitioner”), filed a petition for the imposition of antidumping duties on U.S. imports of lattice-boom crawler cranes from Japan.
SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION
Subject merchandise includes, but is not limited to, the following LBCC assemblies which can be imported in isolation or combined in…
President Trump Further Increases the Reciprocal Tariff on Chinese Imports
On April 8, 2025, President Trump, acting under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (“IEEPA”), issued an Executive Order (“EO”) titled “Amendment to Reciprocal Tariffs and Updated Duties as Applied to Low-Value Imports from the People’s Republic of China.” The EO modifies the previous April 2, 2025 Executive Order by…