The Trump administration has levied tariffs on more than 60 countries, using a legal justification that permits the president to impose import taxes and other sanctions against countries found to engage in “unjustifiable,” “unreasonable” or “discriminatory” trade practices. Specifically, the tariffs announced on Thursday were levied under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on countries the U.S. found failed “to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor.” Protests from the affected countries — which account for 99% of U.S. imports — were swift. Critics say the claims are unfounded and arbitrary.
Trump’s tariffs are headed to court — again. Two lawsuits filed by small businesses are challenging Trump’s sweeping tariffs announced Thursday that impose double digit levies on 60 trading partners. The tariffs, implemented for what the Trump administration says is countries’ failure to prevent imports produced by forced labor, cover 99% of U.S. imports. Critics say that’s a pretext and the goal is to replace the worldwide tariffs that Trump imposed last year that were struck down by the Supreme Court in February. They came just as temporary 10% worldwide tariffs — that had also been challenged in court — expired.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest set of tariffs has provoked heated objections from America’s trading partners. The administration late Thursday announced tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on 60 countries. Trump says they failed to adequately enforce a ban on goods made with forced labor. Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell has slammed them as unjustified. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the U.S. has not given meaningful evidence to support the allegations against dozens of countries accounting for 99% of products imported into the U.S. Japan's chief government spokesperson says the move was regrettable. The new tariffs took effect just as Trump's temporary 10% worldwide tariffs expired at 12:01 a.m. Friday.
Trump imposes double-digit tariffs on dozens of countries as his 10% levies are set to expire Friday
President Donald Trump is going ahead with new double-digit tariffs on dozens of U.S. trading partners just as the clock runs out Friday on stopgap levies he imposed after a stinging defeat at the Supreme Court. The United States will impose taxes of 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 countries, charging that they have inadequately enforced bans on goods produced by forced labor. The new tariffs come as temporary 10% worldwide tariffs expire at 12:01 a.m. Friday. Trump had turned to those levies after the Supreme Court struck down his biggest and boldest tariffs in February. Now he’s tapping more durable tariffs under a 1974 trade law.