Trump Administration Imposes New Tariffs on 60 Trading Partners

These new duties replace a temporary 10% global tariff expiring at 12:01 a.m. EDT. Leveraging Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, the administration expects to withstand legal challenges that previously crippled its trade agenda. While the policy covers 99.4% of imports, officials have carved out significant exemptions for oil, gas, fertilizer, and specific foodstuffs to minimize domestic supply chain disruption.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated the measure addresses both human rights concerns and systemic trade distortions. Countries with robust anti-forced labor laws face the 10% rate, while those with weaker enforcement—including China—are subject to the 12.5% levy. India and several other nations were shifted to the lower tier following recent legislative adjustments. Despite the overlap in timing and coverage with the expiring duties, a senior administration official insisted these measures represent a distinct strategy to secure global supply chains rather than a simple extension of previous policies.