U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed new tariffs on 60 trading partners, claiming that key economic partners have not tackled forced labor.
Partners including the UK, the European Union, and China will be hit by tariffs between 10–12.5 percent on almost all American imports.
“Today’s action will begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and distortive trade practice to improve the welfare of workers everywhere,” US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said.
But trade experts have claimed Trump’s move uses forced labor as a legal basis for his real motivations, according to British media. The more likely reasons for the new tariffs are reducing the American trade deficit and boosting U.S. manufacturing.
The move comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in recent months that many international tariffs previously imposed by Trump were illegal. It would be hard for countries to prove they have enough measures in place to prevent forced labor imports. Therefore, the fresh tariffs will be more difficult to challenge in court.
The tariffs are expected to increase costs for some businesses and consumers. They may also encourage trading partners to diversify their supply chains and reduce reliance on the U.S. market. However, the EU has secured a more favorable tariff arrangement with Washington in some areas than the UK.
A UK government spokesperson said British businesses’ global supply chains ensure they do not take part in forced labor. China has also denied allegations of forced labor, despite international human rights groups saying the problem does exist in the country.
The tariffs represent a wider challenge to the globalization trade model, where efficiency and low costs dominated business decisions for decades. If companies begin prioritizing political stability over cheaper production, the result could be a long-term realignment of global supply chains.
