Tariff rules stay messy

U.S. tariff policy is still moving on three tracks at once: some duties remain in force, some were struck down in February, and others are being renegotiated country by country. (commonslibrary.parliament.uk) The Supreme Court ruled on February 20, 2026, that President Donald Trump was not authorized to impose his 2025 emergency tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. USA Today reported on April 15 that companies are still pressing for refunds, carveouts and replacement deals. (usatoday.com) Other tariffs stayed in place because they rest on a different law, Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which is tied to national security findings. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the United States is still charging 25% on passenger vehicles and many auto parts, with separate Section 232 duties on metals. (cbp.gov) The White House said in March 2025 that the auto tariff covers imported passenger vehicles, light trucks and key parts including engines, transmissions, powertrain parts and electrical components. The House of Commons Library said this week that the United Kingdom can ship up to 100,000 passenger vehicles into the United States at a 10% tariff under a bilateral arrangement, while steel and aluminium from the United Kingdom remain at 25% during talks. (whitehouse.gov) (commonslibrary.parliament.uk) That split leaves importers dealing with one set of tariffs that courts curtailed and another set that customs officers are still collecting at the border. It also means country-specific side deals can change the effective rate without changing the headline policy. (cbp.gov) (commonslibrary.parliament.uk) The American Enterprise Institute wrote on April 15 that the legal footing is still unsettled even after bilateral agreements, because many product details remain unclear and China has kept retaliatory measures in place. Its report said the Supreme Court decision struck down “the bulk” of the U.S. tariffs announced on April 2, 2025, which Trump had branded “Liberation Day.” (aei.org) That uncertainty is showing up in agriculture as well as manufacturing. The American Enterprise Institute found the tariffs modestly reduced overall U.S. agricultural and food imports, while U.S. farm exports to China and Canada fell in part because of retaliation and changing consumer demand. (aei.org) The tariff map also changed again on April 2, 2026, when Trump issued a proclamation revising Section 232 rules for steel, aluminum and copper. A White House fact sheet said copper was added to that program in July 2025, and the April order expanded and recalibrated the metals regime again. (whitehouse.gov 1) (whitehouse.gov 2) USA Today reported that businesses that thought the February ruling might end the tariff fight are still hiring lawyers and lobbyists instead. For companies trying to price a car, a steel shipment or a farm export, the answer now depends on which statute applies, which country is involved and whether a side deal survives the next round of talks. (usatoday.com)