•US President Donald Trump announced new global tariffs and maintained existing Section 301 tariffs, citing various statutes including Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
•Section 301 allows the US President to impose tariffs against countries engaging in unfair trade practices, a tool Trump used extensively against China during his first term.
•Critics argue Trump's use of Section 301 is legally vulnerable due to conflicts with WTO rules, which found earlier US tariffs under Section 301 violated global trade laws.
•Procedural concerns within US law suggest Trump's broad application of Section 301 may exceed statutory intent, as it was designed for targeted practices, not sweeping tariffs.
•Constitutional scholars raise concerns about the separation of powers, arguing that Trump's expansive use of Section 301 and emergency powers could be seen as executive overreach.
