Trump strikes again: 10% tariffs on Argentina and 60 other countries over forced labor

In a move that shakes the global board, U.S. President Donald Trump reactivated his trade war with a new package of tariffs targeting 60 countries, including Argentina. The rates, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, will take effect this Friday, according to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

The measure, which replaces the temporary global tariffs of 10% that were set to expire this Friday, is justified by the fight against forced labor. According to the Republican administration, the affected countries have not effectively implemented or enforced the prohibition on importing goods produced with forced labor. Argentina, which signed a reciprocal trade and investment treaty with the United States in February, fell into the 10% category, the lowest rate in the new scheme.

The decision comes after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned most of Trump’s global tariffs, a ruling the president called «deeply disappointing.» Now, Trump seeks to reestablish his tariff regime using Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows him to impose sanctions on trading partners for practices considered unreasonable.

The announcement followed USTR investigations that included public hearings and more than 2,100 comments. Greer stated that «decades of moral persuasion have failed to eradicate forced labor» and that it is time for trading partners to act. The tariffs target 60 economies that account for 99.4% of U.S. trade.

However, there will be exceptions. Products such as steel, aluminum, automobiles and their components, as well as food, fertilizers, and energy, will be exempt. Certain products from countries like Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ecuador, El Salvador, the European Union, Guatemala, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom will also be exempt if they comply with commitments against forced labor.

For countries lacking forced labor regulations, the tariff will be 12.5%. The European Union, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland fell into that bracket. Argentina, on the other hand, managed to stay at 10%, which was highlighted by sources from Javier Milei’s government as an achievement in bilateral negotiations.

Trump, who has intensified his trade war since returning to the White House, will not allow a court ruling to undermine his policy. A senior administration official rejected that the new tariffs are mere substitutes for the previous ones, assuring that the president will use all tools at his disposal to defend U.S. trade.

The measure generates uncertainty in markets and promises to escalate trade tensions globally. Meanwhile, Argentina awaits clarity on the scope of the exemption for certain products, in a context where the bilateral relationship with the United States is key to the local economy.