Tariff exclusion process in Trump 2.0 a big departure from first term

Published October 26, 2025 6:00am ET



In President Donald Trump’s second term, tariff relief no longer runs through a bureaucratic process; rather, it runs straight through the Oval Office.

Trump, long a proponent of tariffs, has implemented far more aggressive tariffs this year than during his first term. Also notable is that the administration has essentially done away with the process used tens of thousands of times to get exclusions from the tariffs.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.