Trump Administration Plans New Trade Probes

The Trump administration will initiate new trade investigations as early as Wednesday, March 11, 2026, to reinstate tariffs recently invalidated by a Supreme Court ruling. These probes will be conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, as reported by The New York Times and Wall Street Journal.

This action follows a 6-3 Supreme Court decision on February 20, 2026, which determined that President Trump lacked the authority to impose reciprocal tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The Section 301 mechanism allows the President to levy tariffs on goods from nations found to engage in unfair trade practices, providing a legal basis for duties that the IEEPA previously did not.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that U.S. tariffs are expected to return to pre-Supreme Court ruling levels by August 2026. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Commerce Department will conduct trade-related studies in the coming months to support the imposition of these new tariffs, which Bessent described as more robust and legally resilient than previous measures.