U.S. Opens 60-Nation Tariff Probe to Revive Trade Levies Scrapped by Court
Revised after bias review
What the White House launched this week
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer formally opened Section 301 investigations into 60 economies ranging from China and the European Union to India, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. The probes target claims that those governments fail to bar imports made with forced labor, giving their companies what Greer called "an artificial cost advantage" over U.S. producers. Section 301 lets Washington impose tariffs or import restrictions if unfair practices are found.
How the Supreme Court forced Trump's hand
The Supreme Court ruled that most of President Trump's existing tariffs were illegal, finding that he had improperly used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Within hours the White House shifted to Section 122, a statute that allows 150-day emergency tariffs, and placed a 10 percent duty on most foreign goods. Trump has since said that rate will rise to 15 percent, though the increase has not yet taken effect. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC earlier this month that "it's my strong belief that the tariff rates will be back to their old rate within five months."
The legal path to permanent levies
Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 does not carry the 150-day sunset clause that limits Section 122. Greer told reporters the administration wants to finish the forced-labor probes before the temporary tariffs expire in July, opening the door to longer-lasting duties. The same statute was used a day earlier to open a separate set of probes into 16 trading partners accused of maintaining "structural excess capacity," or producing more goods than their domestic markets can absorb.
What happens next
Greer's office has not threatened specific tariff levels, but Section 301 gives him authority to impose restrictions once investigations conclude. The statute requires the United States to seek consultations with each targeted government and to publish findings before any trade penalties take effect. No timeline has been set, though Greer said he cannot "predetermine" how long the reviews will last. Importers and exporters now face months of uncertainty while officials examine whether foreign labor practices justify new U.S. duties.
