The Trump administration is preparing to take another major step in its effort to reshape global trade, with a new policy expected to affect dozens of America’s trading partners.
Administration officials say the move is designed to accomplish more than simply collect revenue, arguing it addresses an issue they believe has put American workers at a disadvantage for decades.
The Trump administration is launching a new round of tariffs targeting imports from countries that have not adopted laws banning goods made with forced labor, expanding the president’s trade agenda while tying U.S. tariff policy to international labor standards.
The new duties will affect imports from roughly 60 countries and are set to take effect as an earlier round of temporary tariffs expires, marking another major shift in U.S. trade policy.
Senior administration officials announced Thursday that countries with laws prohibiting imports made through forced labor will generally face a 10% tariff, while countries that have not enacted similar measures will face a 12.5% tariff.
The new duties are scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 24.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the policy is intended to encourage other nations to adopt labor protections similar to those already enforced by the United States.
“The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same,” Greer said in a statement.
“Today’s action will begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and distortive trade practice to improve the welfare of workers everywhere.”
According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the 10% tariff rate will apply to imports from countries including Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom.
Administration officials said India qualified for the lower tariff after adopting legislation aimed at preventing products made with forced labor from entering its supply chain.
The European Union, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland will face either 10% or 12.5% tariffs depending on the product involved, while most other countries covered by the policy will receive the higher 12.5% rate.
The duties are being imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a law that allows the United States to respond to foreign trade practices it determines are unfair or discriminatory.
Administration officials said using Section 301 provides a stronger legal foundation after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s earlier “Liberation Day” tariffs.
Officials argued the new approach is designed to withstand future legal challenges while advancing the administration’s broader trade objectives.
One senior administration official said the policy is intended to strengthen labor rights enforcement abroad, restore fairness for American workers and encourage trading partners to eliminate forced labor from global supply chains.
The administration also emphasized that the United States has prohibited imports made wholly or partially through forced labor for decades.
Officials said oil and natural gas imports will be exempt.
The administration also said the new Section 301 tariffs will not be stacked on top of existing Section 232 tariffs that already apply to products such as steel and aluminum for national security reasons.
Although the new duties will apply to approximately 99% of U.S. imports, administration officials said they are not expected to produce major economic disruption because many of the tariff rates are similar to those already in place.
The announcement comes just days after President Trump imposed new tariffs of up to 50% on certain Canadian goods, continuing an aggressive trade strategy that has become a central part of his economic agenda, The New York Post reported.
With the latest action, the administration is broadening its use of tariffs beyond traditional trade disputes by linking import duties to labor standards, arguing that countries seeking greater access to the American market should also take stronger action against the use of forced labor in global supply chains.
