Within hours of the ruling, the Trump administration pivoted, activating Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a temporary 15% tariff on top of existing ones, citing balance-of-payments concerns. The maneuver is legally narrower and time-bound. Trump’s trade war is not over — its legal battlefield has merely shifted.
For China, the ruling delivers an unexpected reprieve, easing pressure on Chinese exporters and recalibrating the leverage dynamics ahead of Trump’s planned April visit. Chinese celebration, however, would be premature.
