Trump admin announces between 10% and 12.5% tariffs on 60 countries over forced labor imports

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is ratcheting up tariffs on 60 countries that have failed to ban imports made from forced labor, as 10% global duties are set to expire Friday. Senior administration officials said Thursday that countries that have begun implementing a forced labor prohibition or law on their books will be hit with 10% duties, while those that haven't will receive an import tax of 12.5% — with the levies taking effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 24. '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,' said US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The sweeping new tariffs signify that the Trump administration is doubling down on its trade agenda and finding new ways to collect duties to withstand legal scrutiny after the Supreme Court struck down last year's 'Liberation Day' levies. The import taxes cover a whopping 99% of US imports but aren't expected to have a great economic effect since they are roughly at the previous rate.