US Court Questions Legality of Section 301 Tariffs Covering 99.4% of Imports

The US Court of International Trade heard arguments in a consolidated challenge to 10% and 12.5% tariffs on goods from 60 economies. Judges pressed the administration on which Section 301 provision it relied on and noted thin evidence for each country. A written ruling is expected in coming weeks.

• Tariffs cover 99.4% of US imports and 86 countries
• Judges: administration cites neither of Section 301's two definitional subsections
• Plaintiffs call the forced-labor rationale a pretext
• NY Fed: 90% of tariff burden fell on US firms and consumers