Trump Imposes New Tariffs on 60 Trading Partners as Temporary U.S. Duties Expire

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration on Friday imposed new tariffs of 10% and 12.5% on imports from 60 trading partners, replacing the temporary 10% global tariff that expired at midnight and marking the latest step in President Donald Trump’s effort to reshape U.S. trade policy. The new measures are based on allegations that the affected countries have failed to adequately prevent imports produced with forced labor.

The tariffs, introduced under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, cover approximately 99.4% of U.S. imports. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the action is intended to encourage trading partners to strengthen enforcement against forced labor while addressing what Washington describes as unfair trade practices.

The new tariff regime replaces the temporary 10% duties that had been imposed after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the administration’s earlier “reciprocal tariffs.” Officials said the latest measures are designed to preserve a broad tariff framework while reducing legal vulnerabilities.

Several categories of goods—including oil and gas, fertilizers, certain food products, and items already subject to national security tariffs—have been exempted from the new duties. Goods already in transit before the implementation deadline will also be temporarily excluded.

The announcement prompted mixed reactions from major U.S. trading partners. While some governments acknowledged that exemptions had limited the economic impact, others—including the European Union, Australia, Brazil, and New Zealand—criticized the tariffs as unjustified and questioned Washington’s rationale for linking the measures to forced labor enforcement.

The White House indicated that additional trade actions could follow, including the possible reinstatement of higher tariffs on certain Chinese imports and further investigations into foreign industrial practices, underscoring the administration’s continued emphasis on trade enforcement and domestic manufacturing.