Senior administration officials are weighing a new package of tariffs that would invoke national security authority to cover roughly six industrial areas, sources familiar with the plans said. The move follows a Supreme Court ruling last week that deemed much of the President's earlier tariff program illegal.
The industries named as potential targets include large-scale batteries, cast iron and iron fittings, plastic piping, industrial chemicals, and equipment used on power grids and in telecommunications. Those sectors would be the focus of any fresh Section 232 actions, according to the people briefed on internal deliberations.
Legal basis and timing
The contemplated tariffs would be imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, the statute that grants the President broad authority to levy duties when imports are judged to pose a national security risk. The contemplated actions would be issued separately from a set of temporary levies the administration announced after the court decision on Friday.
Those recently announced levies carry a 15% rate and can be maintained for 150 days without congressional authorization. The administration has indicated it can keep those temporary duties in place for that period while pursuing alternative or additional measures under Section 232.
Existing Section 232 measures unaffected
Previously imposed tariffs under Section 232 - covering products such as steel, aluminum, copper and automobile parts - remain in effect and are not altered by the Supreme Court ruling, according to the information provided by officials familiar with the matter.
The administration's consideration of a new slate of duties reflects an effort to use the 232 authority to address perceived risks in specific industrial supply chains. The deliberations are ongoing and officials have identified the six industry groups as possible subjects for the next round of national security tariffs.
What to watch
- Whether the administration formally issues new Section 232 proclamations targeting the listed industries.
- How the temporary 15% levies announced after the court decision are managed during the 150-day window before congressional action might be required.
- Which firms and supply chains within the named sectors could face additional import costs if new tariffs are implemented.
The situation is evolving as officials continue to evaluate the scope and application of Section 232 in the wake of the court ruling. Details on any final decisions, timing, or specific product categorizations would be released if and when the administration moves forward with formal determinations.