trump is not the first president to work tariffs. clearly he's taken it to another level. Looks like FDR may have been the first to float reciprocal tariffs.
Several U.S. presidents have implemented tariffs without congressional approval by leveraging delegated authorities from laws like the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, the Trade Act of 1974, and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Key examples include:
The Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934, passed during FDR’s presidency, delegated tariff-setting authority to the executive branch, allowing FDR to negotiate trade agreements and adjust tariffs.
- Richard Nixon (1971): Imposed a 10% surcharge on all imports under the Trading with the Enemy Act to address a balance-of-payments crisis.
- Jimmy Carter (1978): Applied tariffs on color TVs.
- Ronald Reagan (1983, 1987): Imposed tariffs on motorcycles and Japanese electronics.
- George H.W. Bush (1991): Targeted Canadian lumber.
- Bill Clinton (1995): Levied tariffs on Japanese luxury cars.
- George W. Bush: Implemented steel tariffs.
- Donald Trump (2018, 2025): Used Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act for steel (25%) and aluminum (10%) tariffs in 2018, citing national security, and invoked IEEPA in 2025 for tariffs on Canada (25%), Mexico (25%), and China (10%), declaring a national emergency over trade imbalances and immigration.
The president doesn’t have the power to set tariffs—Congress does
Tariffs in the second Trump administration - Wikipedia
- Joe Biden: Maintained Trump’s tariffs and expanded some, including a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles under Section 301.
These actions reflect a trend of Congress delegating tariff powers to the executive branch, particularly since the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934, though such moves have sparked debates over constitutional overreach.