Trump's Second Term Tariff Exemptions Made in Secret Without Public Process

In Trump’s second term, tariff policy became increasingly opaque, with exemptions granted through a non-transparent process heavily influenced by lobbyists and political connections. The administration replaced the previous public application process with closed-door negotiations, raising significant concerns about potential cronyism. Investigations revealed that politically connected firms were far more likely to receive tariff exemptions, with some industries securing carve-outs that did not align with the stated national interest criteria.