Trump admin. imposes new tariffs on dozens of countries over forced labor concerns
The Trump administration will impose tariffs of up to 12.5% on goods from 60 U.S. trading partners accused of failing to crack down on forced labor, extending the administration's tariffs on much of the world.
Updated on: July 23, 2026 / 8:49 PM EDT / CBS News
Most of the trading partners will face 12.5% tariffs, including Vietnam and China, but a lower 10% rate will apply to 17 countries that have some prohibitions on forced labor, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Mexico. Five other trading partners — including the European Union — will face some additional levy to get their total most-favored-nation tariff rate to either 10% or 12.5%.
A senior administration official described the measure as "the most sweeping international labor rights action the United States has ever taken, that any country has ever taken."
The official told reporters the Trump administration views forced labor as a problem not only because of human rights concerns, but also because countries that don't enforce bans on forced labor have an "unfair advantage" over the United States, which does enforce such bans.
"This action advances longstanding bipartisan objectives by pairing enforcement with incentives that encourage our trading partners to adopt and effectively enforce the type of import prohibitions that we do," an official said earlier Thursday.