On Thursday, July 23rd, 2026, US President Donald Trump imposed new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 countries, which together account for 99% of US imports. These tariffs replace temporary 10% worldwide levies that expire at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 24th, following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down his earlier trade measures.

The White House stated that the duties specifically target countries that have inadequately enforced bans on goods produced by forced labour. Forced labour is defined by the International Labour Organization Forced Labour Convention of 1930 as "all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself (or herself) voluntarily."

Trump is now utilizing more durable tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the president to impose import taxes and other sanctions against countries engaging in "unjustifiable", "unreasonable" or "discriminatory" trade practices. Earlier, in response to the Supreme Court decision, Trump had announced 10% worldwide tariffs under Section 122 of the same act.

Further tariffs under Section 301 are anticipated as the US Trade Representative's office has launched an investigation into whether 16 countries, representing 70% of US imports, have overproduced goods, thereby depressing prices and disadvantaging US companies in global markets.

Kenya Davis, a partner at Boies Schiller Flexner, noted that the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, a 2021 US federal law prohibiting imports made wholly or partly in China's Xinjiang region or by designated entities, was the most significant US legislation related to forced labour prior to these tariffs.

Martina Vandenberg, founder and president of The Human Trafficking Legal Center, stated, "We've gone on record for years now advocating for import bans, not as a magic bullet, it's not a silver bullet, but as a potentially effective tool in combating forced labour across the globe."

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