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The administration of US President Donald Trump imposed new tariffs ranging between 10% and 12.5% on the United States' major trading partners, as part of measures aimed at combating forced labor and bolstering US trade policy against legal challenges.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer clarified in a statement on Friday morning that the new tariffs will replace the temporary global tariff of 10% that expires at dawn Friday Eastern Time.

The Trump administration approved the expiring tariff last February after a Supreme Court decision that canceled most previous global tariffs.

Under the new system, a 10% tariff will be imposed on countries that have anti-forced labor legislation, while countries without such laws will be subject to a higher tariff of 12.5%.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative stated in a statement that the new tariffs will affect imports from 60 countries, representing about 99% of US foreign trade.

The new tariffs are scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time (07:01 a.m. Mecca time), coinciding with the expiration of the current temporary tariff.

The US administration exempted goods subject to tariffs related to national security considerations, including imports of steel, aluminum, cars, and spare parts, and exemptions also included some food and agricultural products, fertilizers, and energy products.