Forced-labor crackdown or an end-run around Congress? Dissecting Trump's new tariffs

The debate over “forced-labor crackdown or an end-run around Congress?” centers on how the Trump administration has expanded tariffs using legal authorities that critics say may bypass congressional review. The administration has imposed double-digit tariffs on more than 60 countries, timed to replace temporary 10% worldwide tariffs that expired in recent days. Those earlier tariffs had been a temporary replacement after the Supreme Court struck down the worldwide tariffs in February. The new measures apply to countries the U.S. claims do not have or do not effectively enforce a ban on forced-labor imports, covering nations accounting for 99% of U.S. imports. Tariff rates are either 10% or 12.5%, levied under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. While the U.S. says it conducted a four-month investigation, it provided limited detail on how rates were set. The USTR says it consulted the 60 economies, held two rounds of hearings, and received more than 2,100 public comments.