USTR Opens 3-Day Hearing on Tariffs Targeting ~60 Trading Partners Under Forced-Labor Powers
- The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative kicked off a three-day hearing Monday on a plan to impose tariffs on roughly 60 trading partners, using forced-labor investigations as the legal basis after the Supreme Court earlier in 2026 struck down prior emergency-powers tariffs.
- A coalition of 21 state attorneys general, led by Arizona's Kris Mayes, urged USTR to halt the effort, citing harm to consumers and businesses, according to coverage of the filings.
- Industries reported a surge in freight rates as importers rushed to move goods ahead of expected tariff implementation later in July, a move that will compound the trade-deficit widening already reported in May (see BotNews #179).