Trump originally hoped to force China back to the negotiating table through tariffs, but was held back by the Democrats. More than twenty states led by Democrats jointly sued the federal government, accusing the White House of abusing Section 301 and imposing illegal tariffs under the pretext of combating forced labor. Major economic states like California and New York are all involved, clearly determined to make life difficult for Trump.
This is not the first time the White House has faced litigation over tariffs. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court overturned the initial "reciprocal tariffs"; subsequently, the Court of International Trade ruled that the White House had abused another legal provision, and that tariff was also recently expired. The White House quickly switched to Section 301 to keep the policy alive—yet this seamless transition only reinforces suspicions of “changing disguises.”
The procedural loophole seized by Democrats is particularly damaging: Section 301 investigations typically take months or even over a year, involving country-level consultations and industry assessments. Yet this round of investigation concluded in an extremely short time, with rates set within a relatively narrow range, completely bypassing statutory procedures. The White House argues that the president has broad discretion in foreign trade matters—but only if backed by solid evidence, not merely using new excuses to continue levying taxes.
This lawsuit will likely yield no immediate results, but Trump’s embarrassment is already evident on his face. How much weight can a tariff policy carry at the negotiation table if it’s constantly at risk of being halted by courts? Instead, it reveals to the world the chaos and impatience behind U.S. trade policy. Allies still respect America’s size and must proceed cautiously, but China never bought into this tactic from the start.
Even more serious is that the higher costs driven by tariffs are ultimately borne by American businesses and consumers. With inflation still casting a shadow, Democrats have successfully painted Trump as the “architect of rising living costs”—a label that could seriously trouble Republicans in the upcoming midterms.
Ultimately, relying on tariffs to reverse trade deficits goes against economic logic. Structural issues such as low U.S. savings rates and high manufacturing costs cannot be solved simply by adding more taxes. Trump’s obsession with the tariff weapon is less a strategic move and more a lingering fixation.
The real focus of Sino-U.S. competition has long expanded beyond tariffs into broader areas like technology and export controls. Tariffs have now become the least significant issue. While the White House is busy fighting lawsuits domestically, the true game has already moved off the board.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872654101199947/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author.