Trump Administration Probes 60 Nations Over Forced Labor Practices

The Trump administration launched investigations into forced labor practices in 60 countries on March 12, 2026, targeting key allies including the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada, according to multiple reports. The probe, led by the Office of the United States Trade Representative under Jamieson Greer, could result in new import bans or additional tariffs on goods from the investigated countries. Analysts and media outlets widely described the move as a strategy to rebuild tariff pressure following a major legal setback for the administration. The investigation covers roughly 60 countries and marks a second major trade probe targeting the EU, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

The investigation is broadly seen as a maneuver to circumvent a Supreme Court ruling that struck down President Donald Trump's sweeping taxes on imports in February 2026, as reported by The Independent and Le Monde. With the court having limited the president's direct authority to impose broad tariffs, the forced labor investigation offers an alternative legal pathway to restrict imports. The forced labor probe framework allows the administration to target imports on grounds separate from the executive tariff powers the Supreme Court curtailed. The Independent described the investigation as Trump's "roundabout way to restart tariffs."

The Supreme Court struck down President Trump's broad import tariff powers in February 2026, significantly constraining the administration's ability to unilaterally impose sweeping trade measures. The forced labor investigation represents a second trade probe directed at the EU, Canada, and the United Kingdom, suggesting an escalating pattern of trade pressure on allied nations. The USTR is the cabinet-level agency within the Executive Office of the President responsible for developing and promoting U.S. foreign trade policy.

Meanwhile, allied governments have signaled a degree of pragmatic accommodation, according to The Wall Street Journal. Allies communicated to the Trump administration that they were willing to accept current tariff levels, provided those levels were not raised further. This posture reflects a calculation among trading partners that stability, even at elevated tariff rates, is preferable to renewed escalation. The willingness to tolerate existing tariffs, however, may be tested if the forced labor investigation produces new import restrictions or punitive measures against allied economies. No confirmed information is available on the specific timeline for conclusions from the investigation or the precise legal mechanisms that would follow a finding of forced labor violations.

60 (countries) — scope of U.S. forced labor trade investigation

The investigation's breadth — spanning approximately 60 countries — sets it apart from more targeted trade actions and underscores the administration's intent to apply broad pressure across both rival and allied economies. The inclusion of the EU, the United Kingdom, and Canada, all close U.S. partners, drew particular attention from observers and media. The BBC noted this was a second U.S. trade probe to target those three economies specifically. Greer, as U.S. Trade Representative, is leading the process through the USTR, which holds statutory authority to investigate unfair trade practices and recommend remedies including import bans or tariff increases. The administration has not publicly specified which goods or sectors within the 60 investigated countries are the primary focus of the probe.