Trump eyes fresh tariffs on 60 countries ahead of expiry of 10% global trade measures

The Trump administration is preparing a fresh round of tariffs targeting dozens of countries over alleged failures to tackle forced labour practices, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Tuesday. The move comes as President Donald Trump's temporary global tariff measures are set to expire later this week.

Trump's baseline 10 per cent tariffs are due to expire on July 24. India is among nearly 60 countries that could face an additional 12.5 per cent tariff under the proposed measures.

New tariff announcement expected soon

Speaking to CNBC's Squawk Box, Greer said the administration was close to announcing its next trade action.

"We expect to see some action soon," Greer said, adding that he could not provide a specific timeline because Congress and other stakeholders needed to be briefed first.

According to the Financial Times, Trump is considering imposing a 10% tariff on imports from dozens of countries. The report said some of his advisers have cautioned against the move, warning it could trigger economic disruptions ahead of the US midterm elections.

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The administration is also pursuing additional trade investigations that could provide legal grounds for imposing even higher tariffs.

Forced labour cited as key reason

Greer said the proposed tariffs are aimed at trading partners that have failed to adequately address forced labour in supply chains.

"The US has laws to prohibit trading goods with forced labour. Other countries—most don't have a law; those that do don't really enforce it," he said.

The measures are part of the administration's broader effort to revive Trump's trade agenda following recent legal challenges.

Tariff disputes widen with Canada

The tariff announcement comes as trade tensions between the United States and Canada continue to escalate.

Washington recently imposed 50 per cent tariffs on selected Canadian products, including automobiles, dairy products and alcohol, adding to existing duties on steel and aluminium.

In response, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced retaliatory tariffs aimed at protecting Canadian industries and workers.

The administration has also tightened rules on duty-free small parcels, introducing either a flat fee of $25 to $50 per item or a 30 per cent tax on shipments commonly used by low-cost online retailers such as Temu and Shein.

US-Mexico trade talks underway

Meanwhile, US and Mexican officials began a third round of bilateral trade negotiations on Tuesday to discuss revisions to the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

The talks, which exclude Canada, follow the Trump administration's decision earlier this month not to extend the regional trade pact, triggering a process that could eventually phase out the agreement within the next decade unless the three countries agree on changes.

Industry groups have urged Washington to preserve the trilateral framework, which currently supports nearly $1.6 trillion in annual trade across North America.