New Trump Tariffs: Full List of Countries Impacted as Global Duties Expire
Newsweek · C · trust 58/100
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. President Donald Trump moved Thursday to restore a sweeping global tariff regime, announcing new import duties of 10 percent to 12.5 percent on goods from 60 trading partners just hours before temporary worldwide tariffs imposed after a Supreme Court setback are set to expire.
The administration says the new levies target countries that have failed to adequately prohibit or enforce bans on goods produced with forced labor, marking one of the largest trade actions of Trump's second term.
The tariffs, which take effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, will apply to economies accounting for roughly 99 percent of U.S. imports, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).
Administration officials argue the move is intended to level the playing field for American workers by penalizing countries whose markets allow products linked to forced labor to enter international supply chains. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the United States has long enforced restrictions on forced-labor goods and that trading partners must do the same.
The move is expected to reignite debate over Trump's aggressive trade agenda ahead of the November midterm elections.
Augustine Lo, partner at international law firm Dorsey & Whitney who advises clients on U.S. customs and international trade law, said in comments shared with Newsweek that the decision would have ramifications for businesses and consumers across the U.S.
“It remains to be seen what effect this tariff action will have on the economy; how this tariff action will interact with any further forthcoming tariff actions by this administration; and any relief that may be had in the future, whether through further USTR proceedings or through bilateral trade negotiations with the affected trading partners," Lo said.
The action comes after the Supreme Court struck down Trump's earlier attempt to impose broad global tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, ruling the law did not authorize such duties. In response, the administration temporarily shifted to 10 percent worldwide tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, a provision that expires Friday after 150 days.
The new tariffs instead rely on Section 301 of the same law, a trade tool that allows the president to respond to foreign practices deemed unfair or harmful to U.S. commerce and one that has previously survived court scrutiny.
“President Trump recognizes that decades of moral suasion have not eradicated forced labor from global supply chains. The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same,” USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer said in a statement.
Administration officials say some countries received lower tariff rates after taking steps to strengthen forced-labor enforcement in recent weeks. Imports from countries that have adopted or committed to some form of forced-labor prohibition generally face a 10 percent tariff, while others face duties of 12.5 percent.
Certain products, including oil, gas, fertilizer and many goods qualifying for duty-free treatment under the U.S.- Mexico - Canada Agreement, are exempt.
“Today’s action will begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and distortive trade practice to improve the welfare of workers everywhere," Greer added. "I am encouraged by the trading partners who have moved quickly to adopt forced labor import prohibitions, and look forward to ensuring their effective enforcement.”
10 percent or 12.5 percent tariff group:
Since returning to office, Trump has employed tariffs on a range of grounds, including national security, immigration enforcement, fentanyl trafficking, reciprocal market access and, now, labor and human rights concerns.
The administration has argued that foreign governments' failure to prevent goods produced with forced labor from entering their markets creates an unfair competitive advantage and burdens U.S. commerce.
The legal mechanism used here is Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, the same authority Trump relied on during his first term to impose tariffs on Chinese imports worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
This latest move also reflects the White House's increasingly expansive use of trade policy. Trump has sought to leverage tariffs as a negotiating tool in areas that extend beyond traditional trade disputes, including efforts to pressure trading partners on border security, narcotics enforcement, industrial policy and supply-chain practices.
Supporters of the policy argue that tariffs can encourage governments to tighten enforcement against forced labor and reduce demand for goods linked to abusive labor practices. Critics, however, have warned that broad tariffs can raise costs for importers and consumers, disrupt supply chains and strain relations with trading partners.
The administration has maintained that the measures are necessary to address what it describes as an unfair trade practice that distorts global competition.
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