U.S. Trade Representative Signals New Tariffs on Dozens of Countries

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Tuesday that the administration expects to impose new tariffs on dozens of trading partners in the coming days. Greer told CNBC's Squawk Box that action is imminent but declined to give a precise timeline, citing the need to brief Congress and other stakeholders first.

The comments follow a February decision to apply a 10% tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. m. ET on Friday unless Congress extends it.

The Section 122 tariff was introduced hours after the Supreme Court struck down an earlier, broader tariff package. Officials have already begun work on replacement duties. In early June the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative proposed additional tariffs of up to 12.5% on imports from 60 economies under Section 301 of the same law.

The new duties target alleged forced-labor practices in supply chains. Greer said the proposed Section 301 tariffs would cover about 99% of U.S. trade, underscoring what he described as the scale of the issue.

Greer noted that the U.S. maintains laws prohibiting trade in goods made with forced labor, while most other countries either lack such statutes or do not enforce them. The proposed duties are framed as a response to those enforcement gaps.

““We expect to see some action soon.”

Greer added that he could not specify an exact rollout date because of the required briefings. The administration has not indicated whether the new tariffs would replace the expiring 10% levy or operate alongside other duties still in effect.