Communications Equipment Manufacturers NAICS 3342

Feb 22, 2026 - Trump Administration's Tariffs Struck Down By US Supreme Court

• The US Supreme Court ruled in late February 2026 that President Trump exceeded his authority when imposing tariffs using a law reserved for a national emergency. The decision only invalidates tariffs implemented using a 1977 law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). IEEPA tariffs represent about half of the import taxes that the government is collecting each month, according to National Public Radio. Communications equipment manufacturers are likely to benefit if the cost of goods imported from countries that were hit with tariffs decreases. The Trump administration can use other laws to impose duties on goods from other countries, however, and President Trump issued an executive order shortly after the Supreme Court ruling that implements a new tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act. Section 122 allows the president to institute a "temporary import surcharge" of up to 15% if he finds there are "large and serious United States balance of-payments deficits" or to "prevent an imminent and significant depreciation of the [US] dollar in foreign exchange markets." The tariffs can last for up to 150 days, after which Congress may have to take action to extend them, according to NBC News, and the law is also not clear on whether the administration could restart the tariffs immediately after the 150 days with another executive order. The new tariff will result in a major decrease to tariffs applied to most key trading partners, according to NBC News. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said, however that the administration would also open Section 301 investigations on "most major trading partners" on an "accelerated timeframe." The investigations could allow the administration to impose tariffs under that section of the 1974 law if it finds that "the rights of the US are being denied under any trade agreement," or whether any trade agreement is "unjustifiable and burdens or restricts United States commerce." Other approaches to tariffs also remain available: The Trump administration has already used Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act to impose tariffs on goods determined to be a national security threat. Section 232 has been applied it to goods ranging from aluminum to bathroom vanities, according to Business Insider.
• Private construction spending on data centers has more than doubled what it was in late 2022, according to the US Census Bureau. Companies are investing in data centers to get ahead in artificial intelligence, according to Bloomberg. Communications equipment manufacturers are likely to benefit from increasing data center construction. Private construction spending on data centers has surged close to $30 billion a year.

• The burden of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (aka the Huawei rip & replace program) has fallen disproportionately on smaller carriers, which relied more on the cheaper gear from the Chinese firms than large companies like AT&T and Verizon, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Some smaller wireless companies now say they may not be able to upgrade their networks and continue serving their communities, where they are often the only internet providers. US Senator Deb Fischer introduced legislation to close the gap in rip-and-replace funding for carriers. Passing it will be challenging, with similar legislation failing twice over the past year. Congress only appropriated $1.9 billion to fund the program but the cost has exceeded $5 billion, according to the FCC.
• Communications equipment manufacturing industry employment and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first eight months of 2025, according to the BLS. Communications equipment manufacturing firms slightly increased their prices during the first nine months of 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Communications equipment manufacturer sales are forecast to grow at a 2.72% compounded annual rate from 2025 to 2029, slower than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc.