President Trump is preparing to roll back some of the tariffs he imposed on metals, including steel and aluminum, as the administration battles an affordability crisis ahead of the midterm elections. The move comes after a rare rebuke of his tariff regime when members of his own party crossed lines to vote to scrap the duties on Canada.
Six Republicans in the House joined almost every Democrat to pass Joint Resolution 72, which seeks to end the national emergency declared last February that enabled the tariffs on Canadian goods. The vote came even as Trump threatened lawmakers who crossed him, warning that Republicans who oppose tariffs “will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time.”
While the president has remained vocal about protecting American interests, he is also wary of the economic fallout. A prominent financial news outlet reported that the current 50 % tariffs on steel and aluminum could soon see carve‑outs similar to the reductions he implemented on certain food imports last year.
Trump’s aggressive trade stance has extended to other allies: he threatened a 50 % tariff on Canadian aircraft imports and said the U.S. would decertify all new jets from Bombardier, citing certification hurdles that have effectively barred U.S. Gulfstream jets from Canada. He also warned of 100 % tariffs on Canada over its trade deal with China, and hinted at levies on Mexico for oil supplied to Cuba. Meanwhile, a U.S.‑India trade deal was muddled after the White House removed a reference to pulses, a staple food in India.
The U.S. Supreme Court has set February 20 as a decision day on the closely watched tariff case, a first in weeks that could potentially strike down the so‑called “Liberation Day” duties. Trump has said the administration would pursue other legal means if the court rules against him, but he hopes the decision will uphold the tariffs.
Other updates include a U.S.‑Taiwan agreement to cut tariffs and boost purchases of U.S. goods, a New York Federal Reserve report indicating Americans bear most of the tariff costs, a U.S.–China trade truce that paused technology bans, and a recent $1.7 billion tariff bill imposed on Mercedes‑Benz. These developments underscore the complex and often contentious nature of the current trade policy landscape.
