Donald Trump has once again imposed tariffs on New Zealand, this time with a new justification. First, the US Supreme Court ruled he could not use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose his tariffs. Then the 150-day time limit on Section 122 of the Trade Act ran out. Now, Trump says 60 countries have failed to do enough to prevent the import of products made by forced labour, which he says allows him to impose tariffs on those countries.

When asked for his opinion of the tariffs by Stuff, Brent Burmester, senior lecturer at Auckland University’s Centre for Research on Modern Slavery, said, “We should not suppose this is a sincere intervention to protect vulnerable workers. These dumb tariffs are largely performative.”

Directed, filmed and edited by Isaiah Tour.
Written and presented by Robbie Nicol.
Made with the support of NZ On Air.