US Imposes Up to 12.5% Tariffs on 60 Countries: Inside the New Global Trade War

The political maneuver behind the new import taxes

At 06:01 GMT on Friday, July 24, 2026, the White House activated an executive order imposing tariffs between 10% and 12.5% on products from more than 60 nations.

This move aims to institutionalize economic protectionism after the expiration of temporary tariffs decreed in February, which served as a bridge solution following the U.S. Supreme Court’s declaration of the previous universal tariff as unconstitutional.

Key points of the political announcement:

• New investigations underway: Unlike the previous general tariffs, the Department of Commerce grounded this measure in months-long investigations into alleged “unfair trade practices,” strengthening its legal standing against court challenges.
• Market reactions and financial impact: Asian markets opened with sharp declines—over 5% in Seoul—due to uncertainty in manufacturing and technology export sectors.
• Position toward regional partners: Simultaneously, Washington threatened to raise tariffs on certain Canadian goods by up to 50%, while the Mexican government advances bilateral talks to review T-MEC clauses.

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What will be the consequences for consumers and global inflation?

Although the official argument is to incentivize production relocation within U.S. territory, international analysts agree that the financial cost will fall on final supply chains in the short term.

Geopolitical analysis: This aggressive commercial restructuring aims to establish a permanent tariff framework that outlasts the current administration, forcing global partners to renegotiate bilateral treaties individually.