After Supreme Court kills initial tariffs, Trump uses Section 301 of Trade Act of 1974 to impose 25% tariffs on Brazil

Published Jul 17, 09:28 PM UTC

Following a February 2026 Supreme Court ruling that invalidated his initial tariff program, former President Donald Trump is implementing a new legal strategy to impose 25% tariffs on Brazil and potentially other countries. The Supreme Court decision forced the U.S. government to issue billions of dollars in refunds to companies that had paid the earlier tariffs. Trump's new approach reportedly relies on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 as a workaround to bypass the court's ruling. The article, published by Fortune on July 17, 2026, highlights the shift from a tariff program that generated billions in revenue to one now requiring massive refunds, and signals ongoing legal and political battles over trade policy.