US Targets 60 Countries: New Trade Investigations and Return of Trump's Tariff Pressure

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), led by Jamieson Greer, has initiated two broad investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act, targeting unfair economic practices by foreign partners. The first concerns the problem of excessive production capacity in 16 key economies, including China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, and Mexico. The second proceeding covers about 60 countries and focuses on the issue of forced labor in supply chains. These actions are interpreted as part of President Donald Trump's administration strategy to rebuild tariff pressure following recent rulings by the US Supreme Court. Section 301

The international community's reaction to the US steps is firm, with China officially condemning the initiation of the investigations just before planned trade talks in Paris. Meanwhile, the European Union, through its representatives, has called on Washington to change its approach and treat the bloc as an ally in the fight against global overproduction, not as its source. Brussels emphasizes the need to respect existing trade agreements in transatlantic relations. During his first term (2017–2021), the Donald Trump administration repeatedly used tariffs as a tool of political pressure, leading to, among other things, a trade war with China and the imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum from the EU. Section 301 was then a key legal instrument allowing for the circumvention of multilateral dispute settlement mechanisms within the World Trade Organization (WTO). The current actions represent a continuation of this doctrine within Trump's second term, which began in 2025.

In the shadow of global disputes, the US Department of Commerce decided to lower anti-dumping duties on pasta imported from Italy, which was met with enthusiastic reception in Rome. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani welcomed these findings, which result from a review of the previous rates. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the new regulations will cover key producers, significantly reducing the financial burden for exporters. „Accolgo con favore la decisione degli Usa di abbassare i dazi sulla pasta italiana. È il risultato del nostro costante lavoro diplomatico a tutela dell'export nazionale” (I welcome the decision of the US to lower duties on Italian pasta. It is the result of our constant diplomatic work to protect national exports) — Antonio Tajani via ANSA

60 (economies) — covered by the forced labor investigation

Number of countries covered by new USTR investigations: Overproduction investigation: 16, Forced labor investigation: 60

Perspektywy mediów: Emphasizing protection of the US market from unfair competition and fighting forced labor as an ethical priority. Criticism of US unilateralism, accusations of protectionism and violation of free trade principles by the Trump administration.