Trump's new forced‑labour tariffs draw criticism over legality and US prison labour

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a new round of tariffs, this time justified by an alleged need to combat forced labour abroad. The measures follow a previous set of 150‑day temporary tariffs that were struck down by the Supreme Court and remain under appeal. While the administration points to countries such as China, long suspected of using forced‑labour in the production of goods, critics argue the policy is a pretext and note that the United States itself relies on prison labour under the 13th‑Amendment loophole. The commentary highlights that the U.S. comprises only about 5 % of the world’s population but houses roughly a quarter of the world’s prisoners, many of whom work in manufacturing. Analysts warn that the tariffs may violate international trade agreements and domestic law, and that they could strain already tense U.S.–China trade relations.