Trump revives dormant Smoot-Hawley authority

President Trump is invoking an obscure provision from the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act to impose new tariffs on Canada, accusing them of unfairly discriminating against U.S. exports. This move comes as the Supreme Court restricts his ability to use tariffs freely and a temporary tariff exemption is set to expire. Though the Smoot-Hawley Act is notorious for its role in the Great Depression, this particular authority had remained unused until now, highlighting a significant shift in Trump's trade strategy amid increasing legal and economic challenges.