Commerce announces 232 investigations for semiconductors, pharmaceuticals

The Commerce Department has formally launched national-security investigations into imports of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors -- a key step toward imposing tariffs on both sectors that President Trump has repeatedly vowed to enact and which Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently said could arrive in as little as one month. According to Federal Register notices posted online late April 14 and slated for formal publication on April 16, Commerce “initiated” investigations of both sectors on April 1 under Section 232 of the...