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US Slaps 10-12.5% Tariffs on 80+ Nations Over Forced Labor

7/24/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The United States imposed 10 percent or 12.5 percent tariffs on imports from over 80 countries on Friday, July 24, 2026, after a temporary 10 percent global tariff expired.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the tariffs are based on forced-labor investigations, with 10 percent rates for countries with adequate bans and 12.5 percent for those without.
Analyst Alan Wolff warns the measures could be overturned as presidential overreach.

History

Historical Context

When Congress passed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff in June 1930, Senators Smoot and Hawley and President Hoover lifted average duties to nearly 60%, causing U.S. imports to plunge more than 40% and prompting retaliatory tariffs from Britain, Canada and others. Today USTR Jamieson Greer’s 10-12.5% forced-labor duties on over 80 nations echo that protectionist surge, reviving concerns about trade retaliation.

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Story summary

The United States imposed 10 percent or 12.5 percent tariffs on imports from over 80 countries on Friday, July 24, 2026, after a temporary 10 percent global tariff expired.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the tariffs are based on forced-labor investigations, with 10 percent rates for countries with adequate bans and 12.5 percent for those without.
Analyst Alan Wolff warns the measures could be overturned as presidential overreach.

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