The new US tariffs have taken effect on imports from 60 trading partners, marking the latest step in President Donald Trump’s renewed trade offensive. The duties, which range from 10% to 12.5%, apply to goods from major economies including the UK, China, the European Union, Japan, Canada and India.
The tariffs replace an identical levy that expired on Friday and now cover the top 60 American trade partners, accounting for 99.4% of US imports, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative. The administration says the measure is tied to concerns that key trading partners have not done enough to stop goods linked to forced labour from entering supply chains.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the action would help address what he called a human rights abuse and a trade distortion. But Caroline Freund, a trade expert at the University of California, San Diego, said the forced-labour explanation does not tell the full story. In her view, the White House is seeking a legal basis to keep tariffs in place while pursuing broader goals tied to the trade deficit and US manufacturing.
The move lands after a rough legal stretch for Trump’s tariff strategy. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ruled that many tariffs imposed under emergency powers had been illegally enacted. That ruling forced the White House to look for other ways to maintain import duties, including the temporary global levy that has now ended and been replaced by the new rates.
For businesses, the immediate concern is cost. Wendy Cutler of the Asia Society Policy Institute said the tariffs are likely to lift expenses for companies and consumers, though the effect could be eased by exemptions on some goods. She also said many trading partners will be disappointed and may respond by trying to reduce their reliance on the United States through new deals elsewhere.
