World Leaders Furious Over Trump’s “Forced Labor” Excuse for Tariffs
President Trump imposed tariffs of 10-12.5% on 60 countries citing Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows duties on nations using forced labor. The move sparked outrage among U.S. trading partners. Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell called the tariffs 'completely unjustified,' asserting Australia takes modern slavery seriously. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the U.S. lacked evidence of slave labor and warned tariffs drive up costs and uncertainty. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas argued European labor laws are superior to those in the U.S., making the allegations unfounded. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara expressed regret, stating Japan’s industry complies with international rules. The article suggests the Trump administration is using forced labor as a legal pretext to avoid judicial challenges, noting no specific evidence of forced labor in the targeted countries was provided.
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