Trade envoy Jamieson Greer announced that the United States is preparing to implement new tariffs on numerous nations as President Donald Trump’s temporary global levy is set to end this week. The administration is targeting 60 trading partners, citing a lack of action against forced labor as the primary justification for these measures.
Greer noted that while many countries lack laws regarding forced labor, those that do have them frequently fail to enforce them properly. Although a specific timeline for these new duties remains unconfirmed, they are expected to range between 10 and 12.5 percent, potentially covering the majority of American trade. Major economic powers, including the European Union, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam, are among the targeted parties. The European Union has already characterized these tariffs as unjustified.
This shift comes after the Supreme Court invalidated several of the President’s previous trade policies in February. In addition to these broader measures, the administration has introduced specific levies on Brazil and Canada. A 25-percent tariff on various Brazilian goods begins Wednesday, while a 50-percent duty on numerous Canadian products is scheduled for August 19. Legal experts suggest that the use of Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 is being utilized to gain leverage during ongoing USMCA negotiations. As talks with Canada remain slow, observers worry that the current strategy may lead to a cycle of retaliatory trade actions.
