Summary:
The table below presents a structured timeline of executive actions, policy directives, and trade-related decisions issued by President Trump's administration from January 2025 to the present. It focuses on critical areas such as tariffs, economic sanctions (OFAC), the priorities of the Department of Justice, customs regulations, and broader trade and economic policies.
The table captures significant policy shifts, including the imposition and threats of tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, China, and other countries; sanctions targeting individuals, international organizations, and foreign entities; and efforts to align federal agencies with an "America First" economic and diplomatic agenda. As a whole, the actions summarized below illustrate the administration's approach to trade protectionism, economic nationalism, and regulatory intervention, which has far-reaching implications for global trade relationships, U.S. businesses, and international law enforcement efforts.
TRACKER
| Date | Source | Category | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/2/25 |
Relaxing Export Controls for Syria |
National Security/Export Controls | Consistent with the administration's relaxing of trade restrictions on Syria, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has implemented changes to export control measures related to Syria listed in section 746.9 of the EAR. Since 2013, most items subject to the EAR (including EAR99 items) were restricted from export to Syria. BIS's final rule adds new or expanded license exception eligibility for exports and reexports to Syria and adopts more permissive license review policies for exports and reexports to Syria (which were previously subject to a presumption of denial). |
| 9/2/25 |
Notice of Product Exclusion Extensions: China's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation |
Tariffs | The United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced the extension of exclusions from Section 301 tariffs for certain products from China through November 29, 2025. The exclusions were previously set to expire on August 31, 2025, pursuant to a prior exclusion extension announcement issued on May 31, 2025. Under the Section 301 action related to China, most Chineseorigin imports are subject to an additional tariff ranging from 7.5%-100%. |
| 9/2/25 |
Public Hearing Regarding Section 301 Investigation into Certain Acts, Policies, and Practices of Brazil |
National Security/Economic Policy | The USTR announced a public hearing on September 3, 2025, for the Section 301 investigation of Brazil's acts, policies, and practices related to digital trade and electronic payment services; unfair, preferential tariffs; anticorruption enforcement; intellectual property protection; ethanol market access; and illegal deforestation. The hearing took place in Washington, D.C., and a full transcript of the hearing will be posted on ustr.gov. |
| 8/29/25 |
Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Partnering on CrossAgency Trade Fraud Task Force |
Enforcement |
The DOJ announced its implementation of a Trade Fraud Task Force to pursue enforcement actions against parties that seek to evade U.S. tariffs and import duties and that engage in smuggling activities.* The Task Force will involve personnel from the DOJ's Civil and Criminal divisions as well as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Task Force will focus on investigating and prosecuting violations of U.S. customs laws and may pursue civil actions under the Tariff Act of 1930 or False Claims Act (FCA) as well as criminal actions under federal statutes. *A Trade Fraud Task Force previously existed under the Biden Administration and was involved in several customs-related enforcement actions including the Ford Motor Company settlement announced on March 11, 2024. |
| 8/29/25 |
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Case No. 25-1812 V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump |
Tariffs |
On August 29, 2025, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) issued a decision in one of the leading cases challenging the validity of President Trump's tariffs. The CAFC affirmed the Court of International Trade's (CIT) previous decision finding that the President's reciprocal and fentanyl tariff actions exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The CAFC has remanded the case back to the CIT to decide whether a nationwide injunction of the tariff actions is lawful and whether only parties to the case (as opposed to all importers) may receive refunds for tariff payments. The CAFC paused any action to be taken pursuant to its invalidation of the tariffs until October 14, 2025. Therefore, tariffs under the subject actions will continue to be collected by CBP. On September 3, 2025, the government submitted a petition to the Supreme Court requesting expedited review of the case. As such, it is possible for the tariff actions to remain in effect even after the CAFC's October 14 deadline. |
| 8/25/25 |
Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Wind Turbines and Their Parts and Components |
Economic Policy/Tariffs | On August 13, 2025, the Secretary of Commerce initiated an investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to determine the national security impact of imports of wind turbines and their parts and components. Interested parties may submit comments to the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) for consideration in the investigation. The deadline to submit comments is September 9, 2025. This investigation may result in the implementation of new tariffs on wind turbine products from all countries. |
| 8/21/25 | White House Joint Statement on a United States-European Union Framework on an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade | Economic Policy/Tariffs | The U.S. and EU announced a framework agreement on trade relations that sets forth tariff rate expectations and terms to be considered by the two countries in future negotiations. The framework agreement states the U.S. will apply the higher of the U.S. Most Favored Nation (MFN) rate or a 15% tariff rate on most EUorigin imports. Additionally, the U.S. will only apply the MFN tariff rate to certain unavailable natural resources, aircraft and aircraft parts, and pharmaceutical products. In addition, EU-origin products that are subject to certain Section 232 tariffs including pharmaceuticals, lumber, semiconductors, and automobiles, will be subject to a 15% total tariff rate. The framework suggests that the two countries will engage in future negotiations regarding additional products that are or may become subject to Section 232 tariffs including steel, aluminum, and derivative products. |
| 8/19/25 |
Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force Release of the 2025 Update to the UFLPA Strategy |
Forced Labor |
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) published annual updates to the "Strategy to Prevent the Importation of Goods Mined, Produced, or Manufactured with Forced Labor in the People's Republic of China." This strategy details the inter-agency efforts to support and pursue enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). The 2025 updates highlight the addition of 78 new entities to the UFLPA Entity List since 2024, effectively expanding the number of Chinese parties whose goods are subject to the forced labor rebuttable presumption and prohibited from entry into the U.S. In addition, the updates highlight new priority sectors for forced labor enforcement including in steel, copper, and lithium industries. |
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