Trump set to impose sweeping tariffs on 60 trade partners
Trump Administration Announces Broad Tariff Expansion Across 60 Nations
Tyunews.com – The White House is preparing to implement extensive trade duties affecting sixty international partners, with the European Union among those impacted. This development follows an official notice published Thursday by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer's office.
According to Greer, the new measures—which range from 10% to 12.5%—target violations related to forced labor practices. These duties become active on Friday, building upon previous efforts to establish comprehensive trade restrictions that the Supreme Court invalidated earlier this year.
Greer stated that the 10% to 12.5% tariffs were aimed at combatting "forced labor" violations.
Two-Tier Tariff Structure
Seventeen nations will face a 10% tariff rate under the new framework. This group encompasses Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Trump administration indicates these countries have pledged to implement and properly enforce import restrictions against forced labor. Products originating from Taiwan and the European Union will similarly receive the 10% rate.
Meanwhile, forty-one additional trading partners will encounter a higher 12.5% tariff. These nations have not yet adopted forced labor import prohibitions. The complete list includes Algeria, Angola, Australia, the Bahamas, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
Economic Impact and Context
Importers generally pass tariff costs onto consumers through increased retail prices. This latest measure could drive up expenses for certain household items as shoppers navigate renewed inflation pressures linked to the ongoing conflict in Iran.
White House representatives noted that the current approach mirrors a proposal the administration introduced in June. The legal foundation stems from Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which authorizes duties in response to unfavorable trade policies enacted by other nations.
Trading partners subject to these new tariffs represent approximately 99% of total American imports. However, investment bank Macquarie previously informed ABC News that various exemptions would substantially reduce the overall impact of the measures.
Timeline and Previous Actions
Trump is advancing this comprehensive levy as a temporary 10% global tariff—announced shortly after the Supreme Court's February decision—is scheduled to conclude. That earlier tariff was applied to nearly all imports under authority granted by the 1974 legislation and could remain in place for up to 150 days, expiring at 12:01 a.m. ET on Friday.
Extending the tariff would have required Congressional approval, though Trump appeared unlikely to secure such authorization as of late Thursday. When the original levy began, the Yale Budget Lab projected it would generate roughly $800 in additional expenses for a typical American household during the 150-day period.
The Friday implementation follows several recent country-specific duties. Trump introduced a 50% tariff on select Canadian products—including hockey sticks and wine—on Monday. Tuesday brought an announcement of a 100% tariff on generic pharmaceutical manufacturers, effective in 2028. Wednesday saw a 25% duty applied to certain Brazilian goods such as clothing and agricultural equipment.