US Imposes Fresh Tariffs on Dozen Nations, Citing Forced Labor Violations

The United States has revealed plans to levy new import duties ranging from 10% to 12.5% on approximately 60 trading partners, including the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, India, and Japan. The White House stated that these measures are necessary because these nations have not taken sufficient action to combat the importation of goods produced through forced labor.

This marks the second instance in which the Trump administration has introduced new import taxes following a February ruling by the US Supreme Court, which invalidated many of the President’s earlier trade duties. According to the US Trade Department, the 60 targeted countries represent nearly the entirety of goods imported into the United States. Officials argued that these nations failed to both legally prohibit the entry of products made with forced labor and to effectively enforce such bans.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer defended the decision, stating that trading with countries that permit forced labor creates an "unlevel playing field" for American workers. The administration maintains that engaging in commerce with entities benefiting from such practices is unjust to the US workforce.

The announcement follows a March investigation into the 60 partners, which collectively account for 99.4% of US imports. The US Trade Department concluded on Tuesday that all listed countries had failed to meet legal and enforcement standards regarding forced labor goods.

These new tariffs come shortly after the Supreme Court declared Trump’s April 2025 "Liberation Day" tariffs unlawful. Trump had previously criticized the ruling as "terrible," labeling the justices who struck down the policy as "fools." In the immediate aftermath of the decision, Trump announced a temporary global tariff, initially citing 10% but later suggesting it would rise to 15%. However, the duty ultimately settled at 10% and has remained unchanged since. While Trump and other officials have indicated intentions to raise the rate to 15%, the current measure is scheduled to expire in July unless Congress chooses to extend it.

Critics of the administration’s trade strategy argue that Trump’s tariff policies have contributed to increased prices both within the United States and in other parts of the global market.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-03 08:38:36 UTC