First 100 Days of Tariffs During President Trumps Second Term Recap and Lessons

President Trump has signed into law the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, dramatically expanding U.S. sanctions on Russia's financial and energy sectors while establishing unprecedented tariff authorities on Russian goods and imports from countries purchasing Russian energy.

On January 12, 2026, President Trump announced via Truth Social: "[e]ffective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay...

For those companies struggling with the US-China trade war why not simply do what your parents told you to when you were younger and begging for money?

President Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act into law on September 18, 2026, establishing mandatory tariffs of up to 500% on Russian goods and up to 100% on goods from countries that continue to buy Russian energy. The Act targets major importers like China, India, and Turkey, with limited relief mechanisms including natural gas exceptions, presidential waivers, and a 270-day winddown period for entities divesting from Russian operations.

The Trump administration's Venezuela oil deal and expanded General Licenses have opened unprecedented opportunities for multinationals to invest in Venezuela's energy, mining, and telecommunications sectors, while simultaneously launching "Operation Economic Outcast" to impose crushing economic pressure on Iran.

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On September 18, 2026, President Donald Trump signed into law the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 (Act), a significant package of sanctions, trade restrictions and related measures...

The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security issued guidance on May 31, 2026, clarifying licensing requirements for advanced computing items and AI technologies. The guidance maintains export restrictions for entities in certain countries while providing limited relief for data center operators, though questions remain about future regulatory direction. Companies must now strengthen their compliance programs and supply-chain due diligence as BIS continues to prioritize national security

The U.S.-Canada trading relationship has reached a critical juncture as both nations implement escalating trade measures, with Canada's counter-tariffs taking effect and the United States responding with unprecedented import bans on Canadian alcoholic beverages, dairy products, and motorcycles. These actions mark a significant expansion of the Trump Administration's use of Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, moving beyond additional tariffs to outright import restrictions. What does this escalation mean

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced that importers with court orders for IEEPA duty refunds on finally liquidated entries can begin filing for those refunds starting October 6, 2026, through the CAPE Phase 3 system. This development follows the Supreme Court's February 2026 decision striking down IEEPA tariffs and represents a critical step for importers seeking refunds on entries liquidated for more than 80 days.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has begun processing IEEPA tariff refunds through its CAPE system, but Phase III covering finally liquidated entries faces delays and requires court orders. With the Department of Justice appealing the universal refund order and class certification pending, importers with finally liquidated entries may need to file individual lawsuits at the Court of International Trade to preserve their claims before statutory deadlines expire.

On Aug. 30, AB-1883 received final legislative approval and now heads to California Governor Gavin Newsom for signature or veto. If enacted, AB-1883 would prohibit employers from using workplace surveillance tools that rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize, infer, or predict an employee’s emotional state, or to collect “neural data.”

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control has implemented sweeping changes to Cuba sanctions, introducing a new regulatory framework that extends restrictions beyond U.S. persons to foreign entities and financial institutions. These measures eliminate key banking authorizations, expand transaction prohibitions to include intermediary payments, and significantly narrow travel permissions, creating new compliance challenges for businesses operating in or through Cuba-related channels.

President Trump has signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, introducing sweeping new tariffs of up to 100% on countries purchasing Russian energy and up to 500% on Russian-origin goods. The legislation also codifies existing executive order sanctions into statute, requiring congressional action to lift restrictions and creating mandatory secondary sanctions on foreign financial institutions transacting with designated Russian banks. Companies face immediate compliance challenge

A federal district court has struck down the U.S. Department of State's prohibition on immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries, finding it violates federal immigration law and the Administrative Procedure Act. The ruling requires the Department to resume visa processing for affected individuals, though the decision remains subject to appeal or potential stay.

A company that receives a demand letter under California’s Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA) should assume that a California consumer class action may be coming.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's Executive Order 2026-05 establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for data center development, creating a two-track permitting system that distinguishes between facilities willing to comply with new GRID Requirements and those that decline.

On Dec. 2, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced a new set of rules strengthening export controls to restrict China's capability to produce advanced semiconductors.

California Governor Newsom has signed three bills that will require California employers to revisit their written policies and their training programs. On the policy side, SB 1149 widens who counts as a “family member” for bereavement leave. On the training side, AB 1803 adds an anti-hate speech component to mandatory harassment prevention training starting Jan. 1, 2028.

As a business and intellectual property attorney, I spend much of my practice helping corporate clients protect and enforce their intellectual property through patents. But patents are not the only game in town. Trade secrets offer an equally valid, and in many cases, a more practical and affordable means of protecting valuable proprietary information, provided a company implements and maintains reasonable protective measures.