Navarro: "Representative Greer to Announce Available Measures"
Section 122 of the Trade Act Mentioned
Up to 15% Tariff Possible for 150 Days
Hassett: "Court Ruling Is Terrible... Will Be Overturned on Appeal"
Officials from the Donald Trump administration have strongly opposed a court ruling that partially neutralized the "tariff bomb," declaring their intention to impose tariffs through alternative measures.
Peter Navarro, White House advisor on trade and manufacturing, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on the 29th (local time) that "nothing has changed" as a result of the ruling, adding, "The court is saying that if we lose under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), we can simply take other actions."
The previous day, the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that the tariff measures imposed by President Trump based on the IEEPA were unlawful. As a result of this ruling, the 10% basic tariff on all imported goods worldwide, known as the "Liberation Day Tariff," as well as the country-specific reciprocal tariffs, were nullified. The White House immediately appealed, calling the decision a "judicial coup."
Advisor Navarro stated that Jamieson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), would soon announce the available measures.
He also mentioned that Section 122 of the Trade Act could serve as another basis for imposing tariffs. According to this provision, if the United States experiences a serious trade deficit, it can impose a 15% tariff on trading partners for up to 150 days. Regarding this, Advisor Navarro explained, "The reason we did not use this measure initially is because it is only valid for 150 days," indicating that Section 122 could be used as a basis for imposing tariffs.
Kevin Hassett, Chairman of the White House National Economic Council (NEC), expressed confidence that the court ruling was incorrect and that they would win on appeal.
In an interview with Fox News that day, Chairman Hassett said, "Activist judges are trying to delay what is a very important negotiation," and added, "The idea that America's fentanyl crisis is not an emergency is just terrible, and I am confident that as we appeal, this decision will be overturned."
However, regarding the possibility of imposing tariffs through alternative measures, he stated, "There are several other actions that could be started right now, but it would take months to implement them," and added, "We are very, very confident that the ruling is wrong, so we do not plan to pursue these measures immediately."
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