101 - The Secretary of Commerce
"Commerce Secretary Drives Major Trade Tariffs and Department Restructuring"
In the last few days, the Secretary of Commerce has been at the forefront of several significant developments, particularly in the realm of trade policy and administrative restructuring.
On February 10, 2025, President Trump signed Proclamations 10896 and 10895, which the Secretary of Commerce is tasked with implementing. These proclamations impose a 25% tariff on all steel imports and increase tariffs for aluminum products and certain steel and aluminum derivative products from 10% to 25%, effective March 12, 2025. The Department of Commerce, in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), issued detailed instructions for the implementation of these tariffs, including the expansion of the list of derivative products subject to the tariffs and the revocation of all prior General Approved Exclusions (GAE) and country-specific exemptions[5].
These tariff adjustments are part of a broader trade policy initiative aimed at addressing the U.S. annual trade deficit and related economic and national security implications. The Secretary of Commerce is also mandated to investigate the effectiveness of exclusions, exemptions, and other import adjustment measures on steel and aluminum imports. Additionally, the Secretary will determine the feasibility of establishing an External Revenue Service to collect tariffs, duties, and other foreign trade-related revenues[1].
In response to these tariff increases, several U.S. trading partners have announced retaliatory measures. Canada has implemented two rounds of countermeasures tariffs on U.S. goods, including steel and aluminum, on March 4 and March 13, 2025. China has also imposed tariffs on U.S. imports of agricultural goods, machinery, and fossil fuels as of March 4, 2025. The European Union is set to impose counter-tariffs on U.S. goods starting April 1, 2025[1].
Apart from trade policy, the Department of Commerce is undergoing significant structural changes. The Secretary of Commerce is working to reduce the department's workforce by 20% without resorting to layoffs. This reduction aims to meet President Trump's mandate and involves various measures such as deferred resignations, voluntary early retirement authority, and the elimination of funded but vacant positions. As of March 15, 2025, about 1,600 employees have taken the deferred resignation offer, and another 850 were fired during their probationary periods, though some of these firings were temporarily reversed by a court order[3].
The Department's plan to achieve these reductions includes input from each bureau and may involve extending the hiring freeze implemented across the government. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) are reviewing the plan to ensure it meets the required criteria for reductions in force[3].
These developments highlight the active role the Secretary of Commerce is playing in shaping U.S. trade policies and managing the department's internal restructuring, all of which are aligned with the broader economic and national security goals of the administration.
On February 10, 2025, President Trump signed Proclamations 10896 and 10895, which the Secretary of Commerce is tasked with implementing. These proclamations impose a 25% tariff on all steel imports and increase tariffs for aluminum products and certain steel and aluminum derivative products from 10% to 25%, effective March 12, 2025. The Department of Commerce, in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), issued detailed instructions for the implementation of these tariffs, including the expansion of the list of derivative products subject to the tariffs and the revocation of all prior General Approved Exclusions (GAE) and country-specific exemptions[5].
These tariff adjustments are part of a broader trade policy initiative aimed at addressing the U.S. annual trade deficit and related economic and national security implications. The Secretary of Commerce is also mandated to investigate the effectiveness of exclusions, exemptions, and other import adjustment measures on steel and aluminum imports. Additionally, the Secretary will determine the feasibility of establishing an External Revenue Service to collect tariffs, duties, and other foreign trade-related revenues[1].
In response to these tariff increases, several U.S. trading partners have announced retaliatory measures. Canada has implemented two rounds of countermeasures tariffs on U.S. goods, including steel and aluminum, on March 4 and March 13, 2025. China has also imposed tariffs on U.S. imports of agricultural goods, machinery, and fossil fuels as of March 4, 2025. The European Union is set to impose counter-tariffs on U.S. goods starting April 1, 2025[1].
Apart from trade policy, the Department of Commerce is undergoing significant structural changes. The Secretary of Commerce is working to reduce the department's workforce by 20% without resorting to layoffs. This reduction aims to meet President Trump's mandate and involves various measures such as deferred resignations, voluntary early retirement authority, and the elimination of funded but vacant positions. As of March 15, 2025, about 1,600 employees have taken the deferred resignation offer, and another 850 were fired during their probationary periods, though some of these firings were temporarily reversed by a court order[3].
The Department's plan to achieve these reductions includes input from each bureau and may involve extending the hiring freeze implemented across the government. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) are reviewing the plan to ensure it meets the required criteria for reductions in force[3].
These developments highlight the active role the Secretary of Commerce is playing in shaping U.S. trade policies and managing the department's internal restructuring, all of which are aligned with the broader economic and national security goals of the administration.
- Broadcast on:
- 20 Mar 2025
In the last few days, the Secretary of Commerce has been at the forefront of several significant developments, particularly in the realm of trade policy and administrative restructuring.
On February 10, 2025, President Trump signed Proclamations 10896 and 10895, which the Secretary of Commerce is tasked with implementing. These proclamations impose a 25% tariff on all steel imports and increase tariffs for aluminum products and certain steel and aluminum derivative products from 10% to 25%, effective March 12, 2025. The Department of Commerce, in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), issued detailed instructions for the implementation of these tariffs, including the expansion of the list of derivative products subject to the tariffs and the revocation of all prior General Approved Exclusions (GAE) and country-specific exemptions[5].
These tariff adjustments are part of a broader trade policy initiative aimed at addressing the U.S. annual trade deficit and related economic and national security implications. The Secretary of Commerce is also mandated to investigate the effectiveness of exclusions, exemptions, and other import adjustment measures on steel and aluminum imports. Additionally, the Secretary will determine the feasibility of establishing an External Revenue Service to collect tariffs, duties, and other foreign trade-related revenues[1].
In response to these tariff increases, several U.S. trading partners have announced retaliatory measures. Canada has implemented two rounds of countermeasures tariffs on U.S. goods, including steel and aluminum, on March 4 and March 13, 2025. China has also imposed tariffs on U.S. imports of agricultural goods, machinery, and fossil fuels as of March 4, 2025. The European Union is set to impose counter-tariffs on U.S. goods starting April 1, 2025[1].
Apart from trade policy, the Department of Commerce is undergoing significant structural changes. The Secretary of Commerce is working to reduce the department's workforce by 20% without resorting to layoffs. This reduction aims to meet President Trump's mandate and involves various measures such as deferred resignations, voluntary early retirement authority, and the elimination of funded but vacant positions. As of March 15, 2025, about 1,600 employees have taken the deferred resignation offer, and another 850 were fired during their probationary periods, though some of these firings were temporarily reversed by a court order[3].
The Department's plan to achieve these reductions includes input from each bureau and may involve extending the hiring freeze implemented across the government. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) are reviewing the plan to ensure it meets the required criteria for reductions in force[3].
These developments highlight the active role the Secretary of Commerce is playing in shaping U.S. trade policies and managing the department's internal restructuring, all of which are aligned with the broader economic and national security goals of the administration.
On February 10, 2025, President Trump signed Proclamations 10896 and 10895, which the Secretary of Commerce is tasked with implementing. These proclamations impose a 25% tariff on all steel imports and increase tariffs for aluminum products and certain steel and aluminum derivative products from 10% to 25%, effective March 12, 2025. The Department of Commerce, in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), issued detailed instructions for the implementation of these tariffs, including the expansion of the list of derivative products subject to the tariffs and the revocation of all prior General Approved Exclusions (GAE) and country-specific exemptions[5].
These tariff adjustments are part of a broader trade policy initiative aimed at addressing the U.S. annual trade deficit and related economic and national security implications. The Secretary of Commerce is also mandated to investigate the effectiveness of exclusions, exemptions, and other import adjustment measures on steel and aluminum imports. Additionally, the Secretary will determine the feasibility of establishing an External Revenue Service to collect tariffs, duties, and other foreign trade-related revenues[1].
In response to these tariff increases, several U.S. trading partners have announced retaliatory measures. Canada has implemented two rounds of countermeasures tariffs on U.S. goods, including steel and aluminum, on March 4 and March 13, 2025. China has also imposed tariffs on U.S. imports of agricultural goods, machinery, and fossil fuels as of March 4, 2025. The European Union is set to impose counter-tariffs on U.S. goods starting April 1, 2025[1].
Apart from trade policy, the Department of Commerce is undergoing significant structural changes. The Secretary of Commerce is working to reduce the department's workforce by 20% without resorting to layoffs. This reduction aims to meet President Trump's mandate and involves various measures such as deferred resignations, voluntary early retirement authority, and the elimination of funded but vacant positions. As of March 15, 2025, about 1,600 employees have taken the deferred resignation offer, and another 850 were fired during their probationary periods, though some of these firings were temporarily reversed by a court order[3].
The Department's plan to achieve these reductions includes input from each bureau and may involve extending the hiring freeze implemented across the government. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) are reviewing the plan to ensure it meets the required criteria for reductions in force[3].
These developments highlight the active role the Secretary of Commerce is playing in shaping U.S. trade policies and managing the department's internal restructuring, all of which are aligned with the broader economic and national security goals of the administration.