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What do Trump's tariffs really have to do with forced labor?

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July 24, 2026

After facing legal challenges to previous tariffs, US President Donald Trump is making use of a little-known law that allows him to impose levies on countries that buy products made by forced labor.

The United States has slapped new tariffs on 60 economies. After facing legal challenges to previous tariffs, US President Donald Trump is making use of a little-known law that allows him to impose levies on countries that buy products made by forced labor. Are the new US tariffs really intended to combat forced labor around the globe, as Washington claims? Or is it about the Trump administration asserting its power?

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