Canada is not included among the countries targeted in the investigation.
The move follows a February ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that invalidated Trump’s previous global tariffs. The court determined that the administration improperly used emergency powers legislation to impose sweeping tariffs in April 2025.
In response, the administration is now pursuing a different legal route by launching investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the U.S. government to impose tariffs on countries accused of unfair trade practices.
Additional economies included in the investigation include Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Switzerland and Norway.
Greer said the policy goal remains unchanged despite the court ruling.
“The policy remains the same — the tools may change,” Greer said, emphasizing the administration’s focus on protecting American jobs, reducing trade deficits and strengthening U.S. manufacturing.
The investigation marks the potential return of global trade tensions that rattled markets last year when the earlier tariffs triggered disputes and negotiations with multiple U.S. trading partners.
Officials said the probe will examine factors such as persistent trade surpluses, government subsidies, suppressed wages and other policies Washington believes distort global trade.
The administration is also launching a separate Section 301 investigation targeting goods produced with forced labour, which could lead to additional import restrictions.
Further investigations could also examine issues including digital services taxes, pharmaceutical pricing and environmental concerns such as ocean pollution, according to U.S. officials.
The timeline is tight. The administration has already imposed temporary 10% tariffs on foreign-made goods under Section 122 of the Trade Act, but those measures are set to expire on July 24. Trump has indicated he may raise those tariffs to 15%, though no decision has been announced.
International reactions have been swift.
European officials warned that any new tariffs that contradict the “Turnberry Deal,” a trade framework negotiated last year between the U.S. and the European Union, would be unacceptable.
China also rejected U.S. claims of industrial overcapacity, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun calling the accusations a “false proposition” and criticizing unilateral tariff measures as political manipulation.
Several Asian countries emphasized that recent bilateral trade agreements with the United States should guide future economic relations.
As the investigations move forward, the outcome could reshape global trade dynamics and potentially trigger a new wave of tariff disputes between Washington and its major trading partners.
