Trump Revives Hoover-Era Tariff Tactic, Sparking Debate on 1930s Policy

Trump has revived a rarely used provision—Section 338 of the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act—to justify new tariffs on Canadian imports, a move historians and economists say echoes the protectionist era that helped trigger the Great Depression. The White House insists the action is narrow and targeted, not a repeat of Hoover's broad tariffs, but legal experts are divided and warn the measure could face challenges; if courts validate Section 338, the administration could apply tariffs to additional countries.