The United States on Friday imposed a 12.5 percent tariff on covered imports from Turkey, putting the country in the higher of two rates adopted in a trade action against economies Washington accuses of failing to block imports made with forced labor.
The duty took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on July 24, as a temporary 10 percent global tariff expired. Turkish goods already in transit can avoid the charge if entered for consumption before July 28, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced.
President Donald Trump ordered the measure after the USTR concluded that Turkey and 53 other economies had neither imposed nor enforced a ban on importing goods produced wholly or in part with forced labor.
The tariff was imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and generally comes on top of ordinary US customs duties. Turkey received the 12.5 percent rate because the USTR found it had not adopted a qualifying import ban or made a commitment to Washington. Seventeen economies received the lower 10 percent rate. Turkey was among 38 assigned 12.5 percent.
Exemptions cover products including oil and gas, fertilizer, aircraft and parts, critical minerals, some food and goods already subject to national security tariffs, including automobiles, steel, aluminum and copper. The effect on Turkish exporters will therefore depend on the products they sell.
The United States imported $16.4 billion in goods from Turkey in 2025, while bilateral goods trade totaled $36.8 billion, USTR data show. The new measure replaces the temporary 10 percent levy for covered Turkish products, raising the additional duty by 2.5 percent from the temporary rate that had applied previously.