Trump Orders New Tariffs on 80 Countries, Forcing Agencies to Certify Forced-Labor Claims
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 31
Trump Orders New Tariffs on 80 Countries, Forcing Agencies to Certify Forced-Labor Claims
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 31
Summary
More than 80 countries now face new 10% to 12.5% U.S. tariffs after the White House invoked alleged forced-labor failures as the legal basis for sweeping import duties.
That rationale follows the Supreme Court’s February decision striking down Trump’s earlier “Liberation Day” tariffs, with the new claims presented as a route to restore similar levies.
U.S. imports at risk of forced labor total $169.6 billion a year by Walk Free’s estimate, undercutting the administration’s attempt to single out targets from Cambodia and China to Norway, Japan and Australia.
Tariff fallout is already showing in manufacturing: construction spending fell from about $250 billion annualized in September 2024 to $175 billion by May, while factory employment is down roughly 75,000 since Trump returned.
At FALCO in Arizona, aluminum costs have jumped 72% under Trump’s metal tariffs, prompting a hiring freeze, delayed expansion and a workforce decline of at least 20% through attrition.
With billions in refunds pending, how will shifting legal justifications for new import duties impact global supply chain stability?
How will the courts evaluate the administration's use of Section 301 to replace the blocked global tariffs?
Can century-old trade statutes successfully sustain a broad tariff regime after the Supreme Court rejected emergency executive powers?
The 2026 U.S. Tariff Shock: Supreme Court Showdown, Executive Workarounds, and the Global Fallout of a 17% Trade Wall
Overview
After the Trump administration imposed sweeping global tariffs using emergency powers, the Supreme Court struck down this authority in early 2026, forcing the government to refund billions and causing a major Treasury shortfall. Scrambling to restore tariff revenues, the administration tried temporary and then new Section 301 tariffs, which quickly faced legal challenges from states and businesses. These aggressive tariffs drove up consumer prices and destroyed manufacturing jobs, fueling public anger and a sharp drop in the president’s approval. Globally, key partners like Brazil retaliated, while unpredictable U.S. trade policy damaged America’s reputation and pushed countries like China and Germany to shift trade and investment elsewhere.