The Department of Commerce this week initiated an investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to determine the effects on national security of the import of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and medium- and heavy-duty truck parts.
For the purposes of the investigation, medium-duty trucks are those with a gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 and under 26,001 pounds, while heavy-duty trucks are any with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds. Medium- and heavy-duty truck parts are “the individual components and systems of medium- and heavy-duty trucks, including engines and engine parts, transmissions and powertrain parts, and electrical components.”
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is examining the current quantities and circumstances of these imports to determine if it threatens to impair U.S. national security and whether action is needed to address any such threat.
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President Donald Trump used his Section 232 authority during his first term to implement tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and restored those tariffs in February. Protection of U.S. national security and economic interests remains the President’s first priority, and this investigation will ensure American truck manufacturing remains protected, BIS noted.
BIS will publish in the Federal Register on Friday a notice of request for public comments, which seeks feedback pertinent to the investigation.
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In addition to any relevant factors, the agency is specifically interested in comments related to the following:
- The current and projected demand for trucks and truck parts in the United States
- The extent to which domestic production of trucks and truck parts can meet domestic demand
- The role of foreign supply chains, particularly of major exporters, in meeting United States demand for trucks and truck parts
- The concentration of United States imports of trucks and truck parts from a small number of suppliers and the associated risks
- The impact of foreign government subsidies and predatory trade practices on the competitiveness of the medium- and heavy-duty truck industry in the United States
- The economic impact of artificially suppressed prices of trucks and truck parts due to foreign unfair trade practices and state-sponsored overproduction
- The potential for export restrictions by foreign nations, including the ability of foreign nations to weaponize their control over supplies of trucks and truck parts
- The feasibility of increasing domestic capacity for trucks and truck parts to reduce import reliance
- The impact of current trade policies on domestic production of trucks and truck parts, and whether additional measures, including tariffs or quotas, are necessary to protect national security
BIS will begin accepting comments Friday, April 25. The comment period will remain open for 21 days, through May 16. Comments can be filed at www.regulations.gov by searching Docket No. BIS-2025-0024.
