Trump imposes double-digit tariffs on dozens of countries as his 10 percent levies are set to expire

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump is going ahead with new double-digit tariffs on dozens of U.S. trading partners just as the clock runs out Friday on stopgap levies he imposed after a stinging defeat at the Supreme Court.

Read more Steve Kerrigan, head of Mass. Democratic Party, charged with drunken driving last month

The United States will slap taxes of 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 countries accounting for 99% of U.S. imports, charging that they have inadequately enforced bans on goods produced by forced labor.

The new tariffs will take effect just as temporary 10% worldwide tariffs expire at 12:01 a.m. Friday. Trump had turned to those temporary levies after the Supreme Court struck down his biggest and boldest tariffs in February.

Read more Mass., R.I. join lawsuit against Trump administration after it put conditions on receiving disaster funding

Now he’s tapping more durable tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which permits the president to impose import taxes and other sanctions against countries found to engage in “unjustifiable,” “unreasonable” or “discriminatory” trade practices. Trump used Section 301 to impose big tariffs on China in his first term, and they survived court challenges.

Read more Government withdraws subpoenas of reporters for The New York Times after admitting legal errors