here is an example of how it works.
http://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20150714/NEWS/150719974
the President appoints the ITC Commissioners.
No new legislation is required. All that is needed in Presidential leadership.
The issue is a 35% tariff on imports from Mexico. Not China. My understanding, all products, not just cars.
Obama has been President for over 7 years. Per your example, through his appointments he's managed by a tie vote he has managed to now twice hand victories to the United Steelworkers in the ITC over dumping. Tires, not cars. Dumping, in the US, not simply manufacturing vehicles in Mexico.
Even if I haven't heard Trump limit his proposal to vehicles, solely on vehicles, where has he charged legally actionable dumping? Can he make that case, if not, why hasn't he. Don't see it in this "huge" announcement. And I doubt Ford is dumping. Making vehicles cheaper in Mexico isn't dumping. Sorry.
If Trump want's to enact tariffs, he's going to need Congress. NAFTA will have to be repealed, he'll need support for that.
If you're suggesting Donald can, given only two years to Obama's six, win a dumping case on auto mufflers imported from wherever, who cares.
He has talked about theft of intellectual property, not relative to tires. That's something that could be pursued. He's not spoken about how he will unilaterally apply tariffs. It's an important issue.
He hasn't spoken about how he'll get Mexico to pay for constructing a wall. If Mexico flips Donald the bird, what happens? Invade? I think building the wall makes sense, worrying about "who" pays for it is juvenile nonsense.
If you care to fill me in on the corporate tax breaks he'll eliminate to fund his across the board tax cuts, I'd love to hear it. I think it's a good idea, and I understand why he doesn't want to be specific on that one.
Foreign policy. Israel's best friend ever, he led a parade, but neutral. Will destroy ISIS. Right away. How? How many troops do we commit, and what are his long term plans for standing up a pro American government in Iraq and Syris. Two Presidents in a row flunked that one. How will he do it?
It's a sound bite campaign, and yes, Hillary is as bad, worse on the issue if we believe his sound bites. American exceptionalism in the 21st century.