Trump Imposes Fresh Tariffs on More than 80 Countries

By Staff, Agencies 

US President Donald Trump has imposed a fresh round of sweeping tariffs on more than 80 countries to replace a 10% global duty that was due to expire, setting off a wave of criticism and protests from US allies and major trading partners.

In its latest attempt to instate aggressive trade policies despite challenges from the America’s highest court, the US has imposed a tariff of between a 10% or 12.5% on dozens of countries, including the United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada, Australia, India, China and the 27 countries that make up the European Union. It effectively replaces the blanket 10% tariff that Trump imposed in February, right after the US supreme court declared that many of his earlier tariffs were illegal.

The newest levies, announced late on Thursday by the US trade representative, Jamieson Greer, would fall under section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which is aimed against countries that engage in forced labor. Trump had said his administration would investigate unfair trading practices to impose permanent tariffs as soon as the February supreme court decision was announced.

“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,” Greer said in a statement. “I am encouraged by the trading partners who have moved quickly to adopt forced labor import prohibitions, and look forward to ensuring their effective enforcement.”

Australia and Brazil described the new tariffs as unjustified and said they would seek to have them removed, while Norway’s foreign minister said there was no basis for the new tariffs.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the EU would seek clarification from Washington, adding that the bloc had honored commitments under a transatlantic trade agreement reached last year and viewed ⁠the new tariffs as a shock.

Canada, one of America’s largest trading partners, immediately responded that it “should not be targeted”, adding it is a leader against the practice of importing goods produced with forced labor.

Trump had long viewed tariffs – border taxes levied on imports – as a core tool to protect American jobs and manufacturing, reduce trade deficits and reverse what he sees as “unfair” practices by US trading partners. Tariff, he has said many times, is “the most beautiful word in the dictionary”.