Trump Administration Proposes New Tariffs on 60 Trading Partners Over Forced Labor Concerns
8 verified2 unconfirmed1 contested
The Trump administration has announced plans to impose new tariffs of 10 to 12.5 percent on imports from dozens of major trading partners, citing a probe into whether those countries fail to enforce bans on goods made with forced labor. The proposal, released late Tuesday by the U.S. Trade Representative, is the administration’s third attempt to implement sweeping tariffs after earlier efforts were struck down by the Supreme Court and a lower court. The tariffs would apply to goods from approximately 60 countries and territories, with lower rates for Canada, Mexico, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, and higher rates for China, Japan, India, South Korea, Brazil, and Switzerland. Some products, including coffee, bananas, beef, and critical minerals, would be exempt. The tariffs are subject to a public comment period and hearings beginning July 7 before they can take effect. China’s government has denied the forced labor allegations, and legal experts have raised questions about whether the use of Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 can withstand judicial scrutiny similar to the earlier tariff efforts.
What’s verified
The Trump administration is proposing tariffs of 10 to 12.5 percent on imports from roughly 60 trading partners.
The proposal follows a Section 301 investigation into whether trading partners are failing to enforce bans on imports made with forced labor.
Canada, Mexico, the European Union, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom would face 10 percent tariffs.
China, Japan, India, South Korea, Brazil, and Switzerland would face 12.5 percent tariffs.
Some products such as coffee, bananas, beef, and critical minerals would be exempt from the tariffs.
The tariffs are not immediate; they require a public comment period and hearings beginning July 7.
The Supreme Court ruled in February that Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose earlier tariffs was illegal.
Chinese government officials have denied the existence of forced labor in China and called for resolving economic issues through dialogue.
Where accounts differ
One source states the investigation covered 59 countries plus the European Union, while another states it covered 60 countries. A third source mentions “some 60 countries” and later references “59 countries, plus all of the European Union.”
Not yet confirmed
A single report indicates the Trump administration is also fighting to hold onto $166 billion in revenue collected under the earlier, now-invalidated tariffs.
Legal scholars have argued in a recent law journal article that the new tariffs are vulnerable to nondelegation and major questions doctrine challenges, according to one source.
Key figures
Jamieson Greer, U.S. Trade Representative
Mao Ning, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson
Peter Harrell, Georgetown University law professor
Gregory Shaffer and Jeremiah May, legal scholars
Sources: vox.com, abcnews.com, reason.com
