- The US will begin collecting tariffs of at least 10% on imports from most major trading partners, citing their failure to stop goods produced with forced labor from entering their own economies.
- President Donald Trump will impose a broad tariff regime on countries around the world plus the European Union as temporary tariffs expire.
- The new tariffs on dozens of countries will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, senior administration officials said.
- The 10% to 12.5% duties will effectively replace Trump's expiring 10% global tariffs.
- The forthcoming tariffs will apply to 60 trade partners and cover 99.4% of U.S. trade, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said.
- The move "is the most sweeping international labor rights action the United States has ever taken — that any country has ever taken," a senior Trump administration official told reporters.
- The new tariffs are being brought under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, one of the trade tools Trump has wielded since the Supreme Court struck down his global "liberation day" duties on Feb. 20.
- In March, the Trump administration announced two separate Section 301 investigations: the forced-labor probe, and another one centered on concerns about excess manufacturing capacity by 16 economies.
- Trump has long touted tariffs as key tools for generating revenue and gaining leverage over foreign trade partners, while brushing aside criticisms that they tax U.S. importers and raise prices for U.S. consumers.
President Donald Trump is implementing a broad tariff regime on 60 trade partners, with duties ranging from 10% to 12.5%, effective at 12:01 a.m. Friday. This action follows an investigation revealing these economies' failure to prevent forced labor in their supply chains, impacting 99.4% of U.S. trade.5
The new tariffs are part of an effort to reconstruct Trump's tariff wall, which was compromised by a recent Supreme Court ruling. A senior administration official described the move as "the most sweeping international labor rights action the United States has ever taken." The tariffs will not stack on existing import taxes on steel and aluminum, known as "Section 232" duties.367
The tariffs are being enacted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a tool Trump has utilized since the Supreme Court's decision on February 20. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer emphasized the commitment to using tariffs to support the reindustrialization of the economy and protect American workers. Trump has long defended tariffs as essential for generating revenue and negotiating trade deals, despite criticisms regarding their impact on U.S. consumers.
As the global economy faces challenges, these tariffs signal a significant shift in U.S. trade policy, aiming to hold foreign partners accountable for labor practices that affect American workers.
“The 10%-12.5% duties cover 99.4% of U.S. trade and replace Trump's expiring 10% global tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down his 'liberation day' duties in February. A senior administration official called it 'the most sweeping international labor rights action' ever taken, noting it won't stack on steel and aluminum duties.”
CNBC
