USTR Reports Trade Deficit Down 24%, Announces 76 Section 301 Investigations
Ambassador Jamieson Greer testified before the House Appropriations Committee on April 17, 2026, that President Trump's tariff program and reciprocal trade agreements have reduced the U.S. goods trade deficit by 24% year-over-year and driven record exports. The USTR has launched 76 Section 301 investigations targeting structural overcapacity in manufacturing and failure to enforce forced-labor import bans. Greer requested a $95 million budget (a $7 million increase) to hire additional negotiators and enforcement staff. Nine new Agreements on Reciprocal Trade cover nations including Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Ecuador, securing market access concessions on agricultural products, automotive standards, and pharmaceutical approvals.
Photo: RDNE Stock project / PexelsUSTR Chief Reports Trade Deficit Down 24%, Announces 76 New Section 301 Probes
Ambassador Jamieson Greer, U.S. Trade Representative, told the House Appropriations Committee on April 17, 2026, that President Trump's trade policy is delivering measurable results. "The U.S. goods trade deficit has decreased 24% from April 2025, when tariffs first went into place, through February 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier," Greer stated. U.S. exports reached record levels—$302 billion in January 2026 and nearly $315 billion in February 2026—while agricultural exports rose double digits in 2025.
Tariff Program and Reciprocal Agreements
Greer attributed these gains to reciprocal tariffs imposed in April 2025 in response to what the administration calls a national emergency caused by a $1.2 trillion trade deficit. The USTR has simultaneously negotiated nine Agreements on Reciprocal Trade with Malaysia, Cambodia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Argentina, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Ecuador. According to Greer:
These agreements have achieved long-standing U.S. trade priorities, including the lowering of foreign tariffs on most U.S. exports and elimination of unfair non-tariff barriers. For example, 8 countries have exempted American meat and cheese products from geographical indication rules; 11 countries have agreed to accept U.S. automotive emission and safety standards; and 9 countries have agreed to accept U.S. FDA approvals for new treatments and medicines.
The USTR has also signed trade deals with the United Kingdom, European Union, Japan, and South Korea, with more finalizations expected.
Section 301 Investigations and Forced Labor Focus
Greer announced that USTR has launched 76 Section 301 investigations targeting two primary concerns: "(1) structural overcapacity and production in manufacturing sectors and (2) the failure to impose and effectively enforce import bans on products made with forced labor." The investigations will identify "unjustifiable, unreasonable, discriminatory, and burdensome acts, policies, and practices that burden or restrict U.S. commerce." Greer noted that Section 301 tariffs on China for forced technology transfer, imposed during Trump's first term and maintained by the Biden administration, demonstrate bipartisan support for the tool.
Budget Request and Enforcement Capacity
Greer requested that Congress increase USTR's fiscal 2027 budget to $95 million—a $7 million increase over fiscal 2026 enacted levels—to hire additional negotiators, economists, attorneys, and enforcement personnel. He emphasized that after "four years of an atrophied trade policy," current increases only restore USTR to its staffing level when Trump left office in 2021.
What this means for shippers
These reciprocal agreements and Section 301 investigations signal continued volatility in tariff schedules and potential new duties on manufactured goods and forced-labor-related imports. Shippers should monitor USTR's 76 investigations for sector-specific impacts and ensure compliance with forced-labor import bans. The agreements' acceptance of U.S. standards (automotive, pharmaceutical, agricultural) may streamline certain import classifications. Track how tariffs affect your landed costs.
