2020 Post Election Debrief – Implications & Next Steps

On March 12, 2026, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) initiated a second round of Section 301 investigations, this time focusing on whether major trading partners have failed to maintain or enforce meaningful restrictions on forced labor in a manner that burdens or restricts U.S. commerce.

The Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council published a proposed rule on Feb. 17, 2026, to implement Section 5949 of the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

On Mar. 6th, President Donald J. Trump issued, “effective immediately”, a directive ordering the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (“DFC”) to act as a federal “sovereign backstop” for qualified private insurance companies providing Hull & Machinery and Cargo coverage to shipping companies operating in the Persian Gulf.