U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer recommended the latest import tariffs for 60 countries after months of investigation and public hearings. However, the targeted countries denied the accusations.
President Trump imposes new tariffs on 60 countries over forced labor laws
President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on imports from 60 countries for failing to stop products made with forced labor.
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration has announced tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on countries around the world accused of tolerating forced labor. The tariffs replace emergency tariffs that the Supreme Court invalidated in February.
The 60 countries whose tariffs will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 24 include Mexico, the United States’ largest trading partner, Canada, China, and the European Union. Countries on the list are contesting the designation. Previous emergency tariffs were imposed on more than 90 countries.
The move comes after U.S. Trade Representative Jamison Greer overcame a series of legal hurdles to justify the new tariffs. Mr. Greer imposed the tariffs after concluding through investigations and public hearings that countries “did not effectively impose bans on imports of products produced with forced labor” or “did not effectively enforce bans.”
“Today’s action will begin to correct both human rights abuses and distortive trade practices to improve the well-being of workers everywhere,” Greer said.
The latest tariffs follow the removal of President Donald Trump’s 10% to 50% emergency tariffs, which were imposed in April 2025 by executive order based on trade deficits and drug trafficking. The Supreme Court ruled in February that President Trump did not have the authority to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977.
The administration is in the process of refunding $166 billion to companies that paid tariffs that were later determined to be illegal. Customs and Border Protection said it had processed about $85 billion worth of refunds, the least complex, through May. However, lawsuits by companies seeking refunds are still ongoing in the International Trade Court.
The administration had a variety of options for imposing tariffs after overcoming procedural hurdles. Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, President Trump imposed a temporary 10% tariff on all products worldwide for 150 days. These tariffs are set to expire on July 24, and forced labor tariffs will resume where they left off.
Dave Townsend, a partner at Dorsey & Whitney who represents foreign clients in trade cases, told USA TODAY: “We think the (interim) tariffs are a bridge from the (emergency) tariffs that were deemed illegal to something that will last longer.” “They believe they can live forever.”
New tariffs ‘on schedule’ to replace invalid tariffs
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a bipartisan advocacy group, estimated that forced labor tariffs could generate nearly $1 trillion over the next decade, about half of the revenue emergency tariffs are expected to generate.
But Scott Linthicome, deputy director of general economics at the Cato Institute, a liberal think tank, said other tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and possibly pharmaceuticals could make up the difference. Mr. Greer is also continuing to investigate whether the 16 countries were producing more than necessary to burden or restrict U.S. trade.
“They have a huge list of tariffs that they have already imposed and tariffs that they may impose,” Linthicum told USA TODAY. “At the end of the day, their goal is not to replace a penny, but to achieve some goal.”
Legal challenges become possible again. But Trump argued that while he was the first president to invoke emergency tariff laws, other laws authorizing tariffs have been upheld in lawsuits.
Linthicome said that as long as the administration ticks the boxes for imposing tariffs, courts are unlikely to overturn them.
“If you check all the procedural boxes, there’s a good chance the court will rubber-stamp it,” Linthicum said.
Other tariffs are also in conflict. In a July 20 statement, President Trump acknowledged that domestic aluminum production has not kept up with the country’s demand after imposing a 50% tariff on aluminum during his first term. He proposed cutting tariffs in half for importers who commit to starting construction of new smelters by 2029.
Forced labor tariffs will not be imposed on top of national security tariffs on steel and aluminum that countries already pay. The tariffs also do not apply to imports from Mexico and Canada, which are subject to trade agreements with those countries.
Also on July 20, President Trump threatened to impose new 50% tariffs on Canada’s auto, alcohol and dairy industries starting August 19, but exempted oil, natural gas, critical minerals and other imports.
In a separate social media post on July 21, President Trump threatened to impose 100% tariffs on generic drugs starting August 1, 2028, and 200% tariffs a year after he leaves office. He aims to pressure manufacturers to produce the drug domestically. According to the Food and Drug Administration, 90% of drugs sold in the United States are generic drugs.
The forced labor tariffs were enacted under the Trade Act of 1974 after investigation and public hearings. Importers and foreign governments could contest accusations of failing to curb forced labor. Some countries, such as India, have been found to have taken steps to combat forced labor, which is why they were granted a 10% tariff instead of 12.5%.
Countries subject to the 12.5% tariff: Algeria, Angola, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
The countries subject to the 10% tariff are Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, the European Union, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, and Trinidad and Tobago.
President Trump’s new tariffs prompt global reaction
International leaders are reacting to President Donald Trump’s decision to impose new tariffs on countries accused of condoning forced labor, including Canada, China and the European Union.
Europe and Vietnam are at loggerheads over forced labor charges
The European Commission said the tariffs were unjustified and reiterated its commitment to the US trade deal, which caps tariffs on most EU products at 15%. Andrew Wilson, deputy director general of the International Chamber of Commerce, said on June 5 that the “arbitrary nature” of the tariffs was a cause for concern.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on June 2, after Guria’s recommendation was published, that Vietnam strictly prohibits any form of forced labor and abides by International Labor Organization regulations.
“Vietnam has and will continue to interact and cooperate with the United States in a constructive and cooperative manner to resolve existing differences, always striving to protect the legitimate interests of workers and businesses,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pham Thu Hanh told reporters in Hanoi on June 2.
