Trump Imposes New Double-Digit Tariffs on 60 Trading Partners as Temporary Levy Expires
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has imposed a new round of double-digit tariffs on imports from 60 major trading partners, extending his aggressive trade agenda just as a temporary 10% global import levy reaches its expiration.
The new tariffs, announced by the Trump administration on Thursday, range from 10% to 12.5% and apply to countries and trading blocs responsible for approximately 99% of goods imported into the United States. The European Union, China, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, India, Japan and Australia are among those affected.
Administration officials said the tariffs are intended to pressure foreign governments to strengthen laws preventing products made with forced labour from entering international supply chains.
Countries judged by Washington to have adopted meaningful restrictions on forced-labour imports will generally face the lower 10% tariff. Nations considered to have inadequate bans or enforcement systems will face the higher 12.5% rate.
New legal justification
Unlike Trump’s earlier “Liberation Day” tariffs, the latest duties have been imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the United States to respond to foreign practices deemed unfair or harmful to American commerce.
The administration turned to Section 301 after the US Supreme Court invalidated Trump’s earlier use of emergency economic powers to impose sweeping global tariffs. A temporary 10% tariff was subsequently introduced under a different provision, but that measure was due to expire on Friday, July 24.
The White House argues that the latest tariffs are legally distinct because they follow a months-long investigation into forced labour and foreign enforcement practices.
However, trade-law specialists and Trump’s political opponents are already questioning whether the administration has stretched Section 301 beyond its traditional purpose. Further court challenges are expected.
Which countries will pay the higher rate?
Seventeen trading partners, reportedly including Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, India and the European Union, will be subject to the 10% rate.
Another 43 partners, including China, Japan and Australia, are expected to face the higher 12.5% tariff because the administration considers their forced-labour import protections insufficient.
The duties will not apply equally to every product. Oil, natural gas, fertilisers and qualifying goods traded under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement are among the major exemptions. Certain products such as coffee, diamonds, cork, roses and rubies have also reportedly been excluded.
Trading partners condemn the decision
Several US allies and trading partners criticised the announcement, arguing that Washington is using forced-labour concerns as a justification for maintaining broad protectionist tariffs.
Brazil and Chile described the measures as arbitrary, while officials from Canada, Australia and the European Union sought clarification or called for the tariffs to be removed. Some governments have warned that retaliatory measures could follow if negotiations fail.
The United Kingdom, however, indicated that the 10% rate would not represent an immediate negative change for British businesses because it is broadly consistent with the temporary tariff that was already in place.
Risk of higher prices for Americans
Trump has repeatedly argued that tariffs encourage companies to manufacture inside the United States, protect American workers and force trading partners to negotiate more favourable agreements.
Economists and consumer groups counter that importers often pass a significant share of tariff costs to American companies and households through higher prices.
The timing is politically sensitive because the administration is already facing concerns about inflation, energy prices and household living costs ahead of the US midterm elections.
Critics also say a blanket tariff can affect compliant companies alongside businesses accused of using forced labour, potentially disrupting supply chains without directly addressing individual violations.
Supporters of the policy argue that access to the enormous US consumer market gives Washington enough leverage to compel foreign governments to adopt stronger labour protections.
More tariffs may follow
The latest announcement may not be the final stage of Trump’s renewed trade offensive.
The administration is conducting additional investigations into global industrial overcapacity, pharmaceutical pricing and other practices it says disadvantage American manufacturers. Those investigations could eventually produce further tariffs targeting China, India, Brazil, Germany and the European Union.
The new measures demonstrate that despite legal setbacks, diplomatic resistance and warnings about consumer prices, Trump remains committed to tariffs as a central instrument of US economic and foreign policy.
Most Unique Fact
The tariffs cover trading partners responsible for approximately 99% of all US imports, making the forced-labour action one of the broadest trade-enforcement measures ever introduced by an American administration.