US firms push back on tariffs
Several large U.S. companies have warned the administration against new tariffs under Section 301, arguing fresh duties would hurt their operations rather than help domestic industry. Companies named include Delta, Dell, Caterpillar and Ford, which the reporting says have raised concerns about the business impact of additional duties. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
Several big U.S. companies told the Trump administration this month that new Section 301 tariffs would raise their costs instead of protecting them. (ustr.gov, timesofindia.indiatimes.com) The companies named in recent reporting include Delta Air Lines, Dell, Caterpillar, Ford and Jockey, all of which filed or backed comments as the U.S. Trade Representative gathered feedback on two new Section 301 cases. Written comments were due April 15, 2026, and public hearings are scheduled to begin April 28 for one case and in early May for the other. (federalregister.gov, federalregister.gov, timesofindia.indiatimes.com) Section 301 is the part of U.S. trade law that lets the government investigate what it says are unfair foreign trade practices and then answer with tariffs or other restrictions. The new investigations, opened on March 11 and March 12, cover structural excess capacity in manufacturing and failures to block goods made with forced labor. (congress.gov, ustr.gov, federalregister.gov) The administration turned to Section 301 after the Supreme Court blocked tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, according to reporting in March. That shifted the fight from emergency powers to a slower process run through the trade agency, with formal dockets, deadlines and hearings. (cnbc.com, congress.gov) Companies are objecting because many of them still rely on imported planes, parts, components or finished goods even when they build heavily in the United States. In public comments and earnings warnings over the past year, firms have said tariffs can squeeze margins, disrupt supply chains and push costs onto buyers. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com, au.investing.com, foxbusiness.com) Caterpillar gave investors one of the clearest numbers in January, saying tariffs could cost it $2.6 billion in 2026, including about $800 million in the first quarter alone, according to Reuters. Ford said in May 2025 that tariffs would cut adjusted earnings before interest and taxes by about $1.5 billion and suspended its annual guidance because of the uncertainty. (au.investing.com, businesstimes.com.sg) Delta has made a similar argument in aviation, warning in a separate 2025 trade case that tariffs on imported aircraft and parts could force it to stop taking some foreign-made planes. Reuters reported then that Delta said losing those deliveries could affect service for about 10 million customers. (foxbusiness.com, en.aletihad.ae) The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and trade lawyers have also warned that the new Section 301 cases are unusually broad, reaching dozens of economies and potentially many manufacturing sectors. Legal analyses say the investigations could become the basis for new tariffs later in 2026 if USTR finds the foreign practices actionable. (dorsey.com, crowell.com, dwt.com) Trump and his trade team have argued tariffs are needed to answer foreign subsidies, overproduction and weak enforcement against forced labor. The next test is whether USTR narrows the cases after the April comment deadline or presses ahead toward new duties after the hearings. (cnbc.com, federalregister.gov, federalregister.gov)
