Trump Reintroduces Tariffs on 60 Trading Partners, Citing Forced Labor Concerns

The U.S. government is initiating a new phase of its trade war by imposing tariffs on goods from 60 trading partners, including Argentina, which will face the lowest rate of 10%. This decision comes after the administration faced a setback in the Supreme Court regarding its trade policies.

The new levies, set to take effect immediately, are framed by the U.S. administration as a strategy to combat the importation of products made with forced labor. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced the measures, which come just before the expiration of temporary 10% tariffs imposed under Section 122, following a 150-day legal limit.

These new tariffs affect 60 countries, representing 99.4% of U.S. trade, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). However, certain product exceptions are expected within this new strategy. Countries with laws against forced labor will be subject to a 10% tariff, a category that includes Argentina.

Argentina had signed a reciprocal trade and investment treaty with the U.S. in February, which was impacted by the Supreme Court's ruling invalidating many of the White House's global tariffs. Sources close to negotiations between the Trump and Javier Milei administrations indicated that the Argentine government awaited the formal USTR announcement for clarity on the new tariffs' scope and implementation, particularly regarding exceptions for specific products.

Argentine officials noted that the 10% tariff rate for the country is the lowest. However, they are still evaluating the impact on the 1,675 Argentine products that previously had their tariffs eliminated under the February agreement. The USTR statement indicated that exemptions would be made for raw materials that could lead to domestic supply shortages, products that could disrupt the economy, and those not producible in sufficient quantities or at reasonable prices domestically or from other sources.