Ep. 42: Leader-to-Leader Vibes, Tariffs, and the Courts: Trade Tensions Recalibrated

A major court ruling on Section 122 tariffs is shaking up the trade landscape and raising new questions about how far presidential tariff authority can go. Our trade experts break down the narrow but consequential decision, the legal battle over “balance of payments” language, and the long-term prospects for the President tariffs after court rulings invalidating tariffs imposed under IEEPA and Section 122.The panel also dives into Brazilian President Lula's "dynamic" meeting with President Trump; President Trump's call with EC President von der Leyen; the high-level summit coming up between President Trump and President Xi, and the geopolitical balancing act facing Lula, Trump, Xi, and Europe as global trade tensions continue to simmer. The conversation then turns to what comes next: tighter legal discipline around Section 301 investigations, growing concern over litigation risks, and how the administration may rethink tariff narratives moving forward.Featured Speakers:Introduction: Kenneth Levinson, CEO, WITA – The International Trade AssociationKellie Meiman Hock, Senior Counselor, McLarty Associates; Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University; Board Member, Inter-American Dialogue; former Director of Brazil and the Southern Cone, Office of the United States Trade Representative Daniel Mullaney, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council; former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle EastKelly Ann Shaw, Partner, Akin; former Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs & Deputy Director, National Economic CouncilMike Smart, Managing Director, Rock Creek Global Advisors; former Director for International Trade and Investment, National Security Council, The White House; former Trade Counsel, Democratic Staff, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance