January 29, 2025—Top Stories
White House Update
Colombia agreed to accept deported migrants on U.S. military planes on Sunday. This deal ended President Trump’s tariff threats and means deportation flights will continue without tariffs on Colombian imports.
Legislative Update
Confirmation hearings continue this week, with Kristi Noem sworn in as Homeland Security Secretary and Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary.
Howard Lutnick‘s confirmation hearing for Commerce Secretary took place today. Lutnick said that he favors across-the-board tariffs on all imports from a country, rather than a targeted approach.
Regulatory Update
Members of CBP’s Trade Support Network (TSN) were informed yesterday that the TSN and all its working groups have been paused as part of the Trump Administration’s drive to cut costs and eliminate advisory committees.
Industry Insight
Effective export screening is essential for U.S. exporters to ensure compliance with changing federal regulations and to mitigate risks. Learn how to streamline and structure the risk assessment process from Michael Ford of Tradebridge Consulting.
More Stories to Stay Informed:
- President Donald Trump announced plans Monday to impose broad tariffs on steel, aluminum, copper, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals to boost U.S. production.
- Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) introduced the Restoring Trade Fairness Act on Monday, a bipartisan bill to revoke China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations status, following President Trump’s executive order directing a review of related legislative proposals.
- The WCO and WTO signed a Memorandum of Understanding last week to enhance cooperation on Customs-related issues. The agreement covers technical assistance, capacity building, and grant implementation to support the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement.
AAEI spoke at three trade forums this month that included senior leaders from the U.S. Trade & Development Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. International Trade Administration, District Export Councils, and State International Trade Agencies. AAEI President & CEO Eugene Laney discussed how U.S. companies can manage the risks involved in international trade by leveraging AI and emerging technologies, as well as increasing membership in organizations like AAEI to stay informed on up-to-the-minute changes in trade policy.
