Trump imposes new double-digit tariffs on dozens of countries

The Trump administration is moving forward with a fresh round of tariffs targeting dozens of US trading partners. The new levies, ranging from 10 to 12.5 percent, will apply to imports from 60 countries that together represent 99 percent of total US imports. The administration's stated rationale centres on what it characterizes as insufficient enforcement by these nations of international prohibitions on goods manufactured through forced labour.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer framed the action as both a human rights measure and a trade correction, noting that the United States has maintained a forced labour import ban for nearly a century and expects trading partners to meet comparable standards. The tariffs are scheduled to take effect at the moment existing temporary levies expire on Friday.

This move follows a significant legal setback for the administration. In February, the Supreme Court invalidated Trump's earlier tariff framework, which had been imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and applied double-digit rates to nearly all countries. The court determined that the statute did not authorize such tariffs, forcing the administration to issue refunds to importers.

In response to that ruling, Trump had announced temporary 10 percent tariffs under a different provision of trade law, but that authority expires after 150 days. The new tariffs rely instead on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which permits the president to impose sanctions against countries engaging in unjustifiable or unreasonable trade practices. This legal framework proved durable in Trump's first term when applied to China and withstood court challenges.

Looking ahead, the administration has initiated an investigation into 16 countries accounting for 70 percent of US imports to determine whether they have overproduced goods in ways that depress global prices and disadvantage American companies. Additional tariffs under Section 301 are anticipated as that probe concludes.