Trump Slaps Defunct Tariffs on Canada, Igniting Trade War Fears

Yesterday, US President Donald Trump imposed massive 50% tariffs on numerous Canadian imports after trade negotiations broke down. The tariffs are based on Section 338 of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which has not been used to impose tariffs since at least the 1940s.

According to Philip Zelikow of the Hoover Institution, Section 338 was superseded by new legislation in 1962 and 1974, making it defunct. Trade law specialist Peter Harrell also explained that Trump's tariffs do not meet various requirements for invoking the law.

This is the latest in a series of efforts by Trump to impose harmful and dangerous trade restrictions that damage the US economy and poison relations with key allies and trading partners. The move has been widely criticized, with many predicting that it will lead to legal challenges and significant economic harm.