Trump sets 10-12.5% tariffs on 60 nations over forced labor

President Donald Trump announced new tariffs of 10 to 12.5 percent on imports from 60 countries on Thursday, July 23, 2026, citing their failure to adequately enforce bans on goods made with forced labor. The sweeping measures, which cover approximately 99 percent of U.S. imports, are set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 24, just as temporary 10 percent worldwide tariffs expire.

The new duties are being imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a legal tool the administration considers more durable. This move follows a Supreme Court ruling in February that struck down the president's earlier, broader tariff regime, which was based on emergency powers. In response to that court loss, Trump had imposed temporary tariffs under Section 122 of the same act, but that authority is limited to 150 days and expires on Friday.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated that the action aims to correct what he called both a human rights abuse and a distortive trade practice. A senior administration official, speaking anonymously, said that since the forced labor tariffs were initially proposed last month, some countries have tightened enforcement and qualified for...