Apple joins lawsuit regarding Trump-era tariffs on Chinese products

Apple, Intel and Pfizer have joined 3,700 other U.S. businesses in their suit against the U.S. regarding Trump-era tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese products, reports Jurist.

This lawsuit was first brought by HMTX Industries in September 2020 and initially targeted List 3 tariffs. However, the lawsuit grew in size, expanding to include List 4 tariffs and was joined by major companies such as Ford, Tesla and Walgreens. In February the Court of International Trade, which has jurisdiction over tariff suits and other civil suits arising out of U.S. customs and international trade law, consolidated the cases, which now include more than 3,700 U.S. businesses.

President Donald Trump imposed a 15% tariff on a list of goods in September 2019. He said in a May 2020 Fox Business Network interview that taxation was an “incentive” for companies to return manufacturing to the U.S.. However, he didn’t specify whether these would be new across-the-board tariffs or another form of taxes, which would require an act of Congress.

“You know, if we wanted to put up our own border, like other countries do to us, Apple would build 100 percent of their product in the United States. That’s the way it would work,” Trump said.