It's been a rollercoaster of a year for U.S. trade policy.
President Donald Trump launched a barrage of new tariffs in 2025, plunging the U.S. into trade wars with nearly every country in the world. Volley after volley of threats and steeper import taxes often arrived erratically — with Trump claiming that such levies needed to be immediately imposed to close trade imbalances and take back wealth that was “stolen” from the U.S.
But the president also turned to tariffs amid personal grudges, or in response to political critics. And the whiplash of on-again, off-again duties — and responding retaliation — fueled widespread uncertainty for businesses and consumers alike, all while households continue to face rising prices.
Here's a summary of how Trump's biggest trade actions unfolded over the last year, broken down by key months.
In his first few months back in office, Trump focuses his new tariffs on America’s three biggest trading partners: Canada, Mexico and China. On-again, off-again levies and responding retaliation begin to bubble up.
Worldwide, the U.S. also heightens import taxes on steel and aluminum to 25% — expanding Trump's previously-imposed 2018 import taxes.
Trump's trade wars escalate to new heights in April. The president unveils sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs on almost every country in the world — sending the stock market tumbling. And more turbulence follows after he tells investors that it's a “great time to buy” mere hours before postponing dozens of steeper import taxes.
China is the exception. Washington and Beijing trade more and more sky high, tit-for-tat levies — reaching 145% and 125%, respectively.
Separately, Trump’s 25% auto tariffs begin, plunging the industry into uncertainty and bringing more retaliation from trading partners like Canada.
The Trump administration spends much of the summer boasting about trade “framework” deals with countries like China, the U.K. and Vietnam. But his administration sends letters to dozens of other nations promising that heightened levies are on the way — and notably escalates trade wars with Brazil and India.
Otherwise, Trump continues to expand sector-specific tariffs, hiking steel and aluminum taxes to a punishing 50%.
Meanwhile, a key legal challenge over Trump's tariffs gains traction. A federal court blocks Trump from imposing some of his most sweeping levies under an emergency-powers law — but an appeals court temporarily halts the order, allowing tariff collections to continue as the case wends through court.
Heightened U.S. tariffs on more than 60 countries and the European Union kick in. After several delays, most of these rates span from April’s “Liberation Day” — but separately, Trump hikes import taxes on Canada to 35%.
Punishing 50% levies on goods from Brazil and India also take effect, along with a new 50% rate on most imported copper worldwide. And low-value imports coming into the U.S. lose their duty-free status with the end of the “de minimis” rule.
Separately, the U.S. extends its trade truce with China. And a U.S. appeals court rules that Trump went too far when he declared national emergencies to justify his tariffs — but doesn't strike them down entirely, allowing the administration to take its case to the Supreme Court.
The Trump administration officially takes its tariff fight to the Supreme Court. In initial oral arguments, the justices appear skeptical about the president's authority to impose such sweeping levies.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to promise more sectoral tariffs — and 25% levies on kitchen cabinets and other furniture take effect. But other threats get delayed. Amid rising price pressures, the president also lowers or scraps a few previous tariffs, notably for goods like beef and fruit. He also suggests that Americans will receive a $2,000 dividend from new tariff revenue — but details remain very scarce.
FILE - Containers with Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation, a Taiwanese container shipping company, are stacked up at the Port of Los Angeles with the the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge seen in the background on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)
GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — Hwang In-beom scored a goal and set up another as South Korea rallied to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in the second match of the 2026 World Cup on Thursday night.
After a lackluster first half in which both teams were jeered as they left the field, the Czech Republic took the lead in the 59th minute on a header by captain Ladislav Krejci after a long throw-in into the penalty area.
South Korea equalized in the 67th, when Hwang scored after faking a shot with a nifty move to clear two Czech players. The midfielder who plays for Dutch club Feyenoord then made the cross from the right flank for Oh Hyeon-gyu's decisive strike in the 80th in a match played in front of hundreds of empty seats at Guadalajara Stadium.
The South Korean squad celebrated with its fans behind one of the goals after the final whistle. Players later posed for a photo with the fans behind them.
“It was our first game and a very difficult one,” South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo said. “The win itself makes me happy, but what’s even more positive is that our boys won by not giving up. I knew that we were more than capable of winning, so at 1-1, I told the boys to keep playing the way we’ve been playing.”
It was South Korea's first opening World Cup win since it beat Greece in 2010 in South Africa. South Korea beat European opponent in the tournament for a third straight time, following wins over Portugal in 2022 and Germany in 2018.
Let by star forward Son Heung-min, South Korea controlled possession and outshot the Czechs, who were making their first World Cup appearance since 2006. The Koreans, ranked 25th by FIFA, had most of the significant scoring chances against the 38th-ranked Czechs but failed to capitalize early.
Son was looking to become South Korea’s top goal scorer at the World Cup and the Asian player with the most goals in the tournament. The 33-year-old former Tottenham star, who now plays for Los Angeles FC of Major League Soccer, entered Thursday having scored three goals over three prior World Cups.
Appearing in his fourth World Cup, Son had a couple of good opportunities to add to his tally but missed wide in the first half and had a close-range shot saved in the second.
The Czechs thought they had retaken the lead with another set piece in the 77th, but Tomas Soucek was ruled offside on his header.
Czech Republic coach Miroslav Koubek said “probably the better team won.” But he said his team could have had a better outcome if it weren’t for “some mistakes.”
“We played very well, it could have been a draw and we could have won as well,” Koubek said.
The announced attendance was 44,985 at the 45,664-capacity Guadalajara Stadium, a crowd that included FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Sections in the middle of the stands had many unoccupied seats and there were other empty seats scattered across the stadium.
South Korea is making its 11th straight World Cup appearance and 12th overall, the most of any Asian country. Its best result was a fourth-place finish at the tournament it co-hosted with Japan in 2002. Since then, the South Koreans have never gone beyond the round of 16.
In the other Group A match on Thursday, co-host Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener in Mexico City.
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Fans look on during the World Cup Group A soccer match between South Korea and Czechia in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
South Korea players celebrate after the World Cup Group A soccer match between South Korea and Czechia in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Czechia's Ladislav Krejci reacts after scoring against South Korea in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
South Korea's Hwang In-beom gestures to the crowd as he is substituted during the World Cup Group A soccer match between South Korea and Czechia in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
South Korea's Hwang In-beom, right, shoots and scores a goal against Czechia goalkeeper Matej Kovar during the World Cup Group A soccer match between South Korea and Czechia in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
