The President of the USA Donald Trump on Thursday presented a new package of FEES GOAL 60 countries that make up over 99% of US imports, a move that – if upheld in court – would cost Americans about $100 billion a year in higher costs.
tasks, ranging from 10% to 12.5%were announced as part of the president’s effort to maneuver around repeated court decisions against his sweeping tariffs, including those dominated by conservatives US Supreme Court.
Jamieson Greer, head of the Trump administration trade official, pointed out Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to justify the new tariffs, introduced with the purported purpose of penalizing countries “for their failure to establish and effectively enforce a ban on the importation of goods produced with forced labor.”
Observers questioned the administration’s pretext. “Magically, the US investigation of forced labor practices tariffs was perfectly timed to replace the generalized but expiring Section 122 tariffs.” pointed out Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove, referring to the legal authority Trump cited for previous tariffs.
Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.) RECEIVED that “Section 301 is a law enacted by Congress,” but added, “What was enacted in 1974 was the authority to respond to specific unfair trade practices after investigation.”
“What is being done with it now is a tariff on 99% of American trade, imposed by Trump, with no expiration, no vote and no ceiling,” Levin said.
“If such a broad delegation is lawful, then the tariff power in Article I means very little Supreme Court removed the last version of this policy in February. The answer was to bypass Congress and come up with a different statute and rebuild essentially the same tariffs, going into effect the minute the old ones expired,” Levin said.
The list of countries targeted by Section 301 tariffs includes Canada, Australia, BrazilChina, Mexico, Russia, Norway, United KingdomAND Vietnam.
Between the start of his second administration and January 2026, Trump charges cost American families $1,700 each on average, as importers passed the burden on consumers in the form of higher prices. Fees have too hit small businesses, increasing difficulties for farmersAND failed to stop the decline of manufacturing jobs in America.
Progressive Policy Institute said Thursday that the new tariffs “would likely cost Americans $100 billion a year” collectively — although the group’s trade director, Ed Gresser, said the administration’s order “seems vulnerable to challenge and the courts would have good reason to strike it down.”
“Her vague claims about forced labor abroad do not hold up,” Gresser said.
“Constitutionally, it would likely be impermissible as an attempt to use a law designed to solve problems abroad to impose a blanket increase in tariffs. And legally, Section 301 requires administrations to demonstrate ‘unreasonable acts, policies, or practices’ that impose a burden on US commerce, which this executive order fails to do.”
“While he makes emotional claims about forced labor, he neither presents evidence that the listed countries are buying goods made with the use of forced labor, nor does he demonstrate that if they were, it would impose the legally required burden on US commerce,” Gresser said.
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), the top Democrat in the House of Representatives bUDGET The committee said in a statement that “these new tariffs are more of the same: a nationwide sales tax that will make life even harder for families already struggling under the costs of Trump’s reckless war in Iran.”
