Trumps new tariffs are causing tension, Argentine government says

Argentina’s presidential spokesperson, Adrián Ravier, said on Friday that new Unites States tariffs on imports, including goods from Argentina, are creating “tension” in the country, adding to the “external shocks” already weighing on the economy. The new tariffs, which take effect on Friday, range from 10% to 12.5% for 60 countries, including Argentina. The measure applies to countries that account for 99.4% of U.S. imports. “Right now, there’s tension over a decision by Donald Trump that also affects Argentina, in which he has imposed or increased tariffs,” Ravier said in an interview with the streaming channel Carajo. “These external shocks are taking their toll, and suddenly the country risk rating — which was on the verge of dipping below the 400-point mark — is rising again,” he stated. Ravier clarified that the rise in country risk “will have little impact on Argentines’ day-to-day lives” and that “there’s a macroeconomic trend showing that Argentina is on track with a stabilization plan that’s going very well.” New tariffs The tariffs announcement was made by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Thursday, just hours before the expiration of the temporary tariffs imposed by Trump’s administration in February 2026 under Section 122 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974. Those temporary import duties were introduced after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Trump’s plan to impose sweeping global tariffs. The new tariffs are based on Section 301 of the same law, which authorizes the U.S. Trade Representative to investigate unfair foreign trade practices and impose tariffs or other trade sanctions. ‘The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same,’ Greer said during the announcement. The measure that takes effect this Friday aims to correct “what constitutes a violation of human rights and a distorting commercial practice.” Countries classified as ‘investigated economies’ will face the lowest tariff, of 10%, if they ‘impose a forced labor import prohibition, have committed to impose and enforce such a prohibition through an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, or have imposed a partial regime with the effect of preventing the importation of certain forced labor goods.’ Argentina is among the countries included in that category, alongside Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom. A tariff ranging from 10% to 12.5% will apply to “certain products of the European Union, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Switzerland that are not otherwise exempted,” while the full 12.5% rate will apply to “all other investigated economies.” Exemptions Greer also reported that exemptions will be granted. In the case of Argentina, it will apply to certain products that, according to the Trade Office, will encourage the country “to comply with commitments related to import bans on forced labor or to enact and effectively enforce an import ban on forced labor.” The White House also announced that, in general, the tariff will be waived for “raw materials that if subject to these tariffs could lead to the unavailability of domestic supply” or “products that could cause economy-wide disruptions if subject to these tariffs.”  It will also apply to raw materials and manufactured goods “that cannot be grown or produced in sufficient quantities or at reasonable prices in the United States or obtained from other sources.” The document also clarifies that items and parts of items subject to Section 232 tariffs will be exempt. This includes steel, aluminum, and automobiles and auto parts, which will be covered by this exemption.