Greer hints new Trump tariffs coming on dozens of countries: 'Expect action soon'

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Tuesday signaled another round of President Donald Trump's tariffs is on the way.
"We expect to see some action soon," Greer told CNBC's "Squawk Box" when asked if new tariffs are forthcoming, in light of an FT report that more duties could be announced as soon as this week.
"I can't really specify a timeline right now. I have responsibility to brief Congress and other stakeholders before I really reveal that kind of thing," Greer noted.
"But we do expect action soon," he added.
The comments suggest that the Trump administration could be poised to implement new tariffs just as some of Trump's other import levies are set to lapse Friday.
Trump in February imposed a blanket 10% tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, hours after the Supreme Court struck down his sweeping "liberation day" tariff regime. The Section 122 tariffs will expire at 12:01 a.m. ET on Friday unless Congress intervenes, which it appears unlikely to do.
But the Trump administration has already taken steps to shore up its tariff regime.
In early June, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative proposed more tariffs of up to 12.5% on imports from 60 economies. The new duties, brought under another section of the 1974 trade law known as Section 301, would be imposed in response to alleged forced-labor issues.
"The U.S. has laws to prohibit trading goods with forced labor," Greer said in Tuesday's interview. "Other countries, most don't have a law. Those that do don't really enforce it."
Greer said that the proposed 301 tariffs on 60 countries would cover "about 99% of our trade."
"That actually illustrates the scale of the problem we're facing," he said.
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Facts Only

* U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer signaled expected action regarding new tariffs soon.
* Greer could not specify a timeline for tariff action due to briefing responsibilities.
* New tariffs may be implemented as some existing import levies lapse on Friday.
* The administration proposed tariffs of up to 12.5% on imports from 60 economies under Section 301.
* These proposed duties were in response to alleged forced-labor issues.
* The proposed 301 tariffs covered about 99% of U.S. trade with those countries.
* A blanket 10% tariff was imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.
* Section 122 tariffs are set to expire at 12:01 a.m. ET on Friday unless Congress intervenes.

Executive Summary

The U.S. Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, indicated that further action on President Trump's tariffs is expected soon, though he could not provide a specific timeline due to responsibilities to Congress and stakeholders. This expectation arises as some of the existing import levies are set to lapse Friday. The administration previously proposed additional tariffs under Section 301 against 60 economies in response to alleged forced-labor issues, noting these would cover approximately 99% of U.S. trade. Greer acknowledged that while the U.S. has laws prohibiting trade with forced labor, enforcement varies internationally. The context includes a previous blanket 10% tariff imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which is set to expire Friday unless Congress intervenes.

Full Take

The exchange between Greer and CNBC demonstrates a strategic deployment of ambiguity, linking anticipated regulatory action (new tariffs) with existing legislative deadlines (tariff expirations). This pattern suggests an effort to manage public expectation while keeping political maneuvering open; the specific timing is withheld, forcing stakeholders to wait for concrete signals. The underlying context reveals a tension between domestic policy goals—addressing forced labor concerns via Section 301 duties—and the immediate expiration of other trade measures under Section 122. The assertion that the proposed 301 tariffs cover nearly all trade highlights a significant, yet perhaps inadequately enforced, disparity in international trade governance regarding labor standards. The pattern suggests using complexity and conditional statements to maintain influence over the pace of policy implementation, leveraging the uncertainty surrounding legislative deadlines to create momentum for future decisions. What are the verifiable mechanisms or pressures that would compel Congress to intervene on Friday versus waiting for new signals? What is the consequence for international enforcement when trade disputes are framed around internal labor standards rather than established trade law principles?