La decisión de Estados Unidos de aplicar nuevos aranceles de entre el 10% y el 12,5% a importaciones provenientes de más de 80 países generó un fuerte rechazo global. La administración de Donald Trump justificó la medida por la supuesta falta de controles contra el trabajo forzoso en esos países, pero los gobiernos afectados salieron al cruce y anticiparon negociaciones o acciones diplomáticas.

Los gravámenes, que reemplazaron al arancel global temporal del 10% vencido el jueves, entraron en vigor a las 00:01 de este viernes 24.

La agenda comercial de Trump sufrió un amplio revés en febrero, cuando la Corte Suprema dictaminó que sus aranceles indiscriminados eran inconstitucionales, ya que solo el Congreso puede aprobar medidas de este tipo.

Por eso, para la nueva ronda de aranceles, el gobierno estadounidense se amparó en la Sección 301 de la Ley de Comercio de 1974, que habilita represalias ante prácticas comerciales consideradas injustas o discriminatorias. Según el representante comercial Jamieson Greer, la medida busca forzar la eliminación de prácticas sancionadas por la investigación sobre trabajo forzoso.

Según el anuncio de este jueves, las economías que han implementado una prohibición a la importación basada en trabajo forzoso o comprometidos a hacerlo tendrán el arancel del 10%. Entre ellos están Canadá, la Unión Europea, la India, el Reino Unido y la Argentina.

China, Japón, Corea del Sur y decenas de otros países recibirán el arancel del 12,5%. Sin embargo, algunos bienes que ya enfrentaban aranceles específicos -como el acero y el aluminio- que seguirán como estaban.

Brasil y Chile cuestionaron el argumento del trabajo forzoso

Brasil fue uno de los primeros en responder. El gobierno de Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva acusó a Estados Unidos de usar el trabajo forzoso como excusa para reforzar el proteccionismo. En un comunicado, Brasil sostuvo que Washington “optó por manipular un tema tan importante” ante la falta de fundamentos legales internos para justificar la suba de aranceles.

La medida representa el segundo aumento arancelario contra Brasil en menos de una semana, tras el gravamen del 25% aplicado el miércoles por supuestas prácticas desleales. Según la Cámara Americana de Comercio para Brasil, la carga total sobre las exportaciones brasileñas llegará al 37,5%.

En la misma línea, Chile anunció que buscará quedar excluido de la lista de países afectados. La Cancillería chilena defendió la “sólida institucionalidad laboral” del país y consideró que la sanción no se condice con los antecedentes técnicos ni jurídicos presentados. El presidente de la Sociedad Nacional de Agricultura, Antonio Walker, advirtió que la medida afecta la competitividad y genera incertidumbre para productores y trabajadores.

Japón, Corea del Sur y Australia reclamaron respeto a los acuerdos vigentes

En Japón, el portavoz gubernamental Minoru Kihara calificó la decisión de “lamentable” y recordó que la industria nipona cumple con las normas internacionales. Kihara subrayó que el acuerdo bilateral firmado en 2025 fijó un arancel del 15% para la mayoría de las importaciones japonesas a cambio de inversiones por 550.000 millones de dólares en Estados Unidos.

Corea del Sur también pidió mantener el entendimiento comercial alcanzado con Washington. La oficina presidencial informó que el gobierno “planea mantener estrechas consultas” para garantizar el arancel del 15% pactado. El Ministerio de Comercio surcoreano aseguró que las autoridades estadounidenses reafirmaron su compromiso con el acuerdo vigente.

Desde Australia, el ministro de Comercio Don Farrell reclamó la eliminación de los nuevos gravámenes y sostuvo que son “injustificados” y “incompatibles” con el acuerdo de libre comercio. Farrell destacó que Australia cuenta con “algunas de las medidas más sólidas del mundo” para combatir el trabajo forzoso y la esclavitud moderna.

México, Nueva Zelanda, Filipinas, Canadá y Panamá: distintas respuestas ante la decisión de Trump

México informó que el Tratado entre México, Estados Unidos y Canadá (T-MEC) permitió evitar el impacto de las nuevas tarifas: el 85% de las exportaciones mexicanas seguirá ingresando con arancel cero, mientras el resto mantendrá el 10% previo.

En Nueva Zelanda, el primer ministro Christopher Luxon rechazó la medida y cuestionó la falta de pruebas sobre trabajo forzoso. “Los aranceles no son el camino; aumentan los costos y la incertidumbre para las empresas”, afirmó en la red social X.

La Cámara de Comercio e Industria de Filipinas expresó preocupación por la nueva tarifa del 12,5%. Su presidente, George Barcelon, consideró que la medida hará menos competitivas a las industrias y calificó de “muy poco claros” los argumentos sobre trabajo infantil. La secretaria de Comercio, Christina Roque, defendió la política nacional contra el trabajo forzoso.

En Canadá, el primer ministro Mark Carney confirmó que su gobierno intensificó las negociaciones con Washington para evitar la entrada en vigor, el 19 de agosto, de un arancel del 50% sobre productos canadienses. Carney advirtió que “todo está sobre la mesa” y que Ottawa comparte el objetivo de impedir el ingreso de bienes producidos con trabajo forzoso.

Por su parte, Panamá celebró haber quedado excluida de la nueva lista. El ministro de Comercio e Industrias, Julio Moltó, destacó que la exclusión reafirma la relación de confianza y cooperación con Estados Unidos.

A Romanian F-16 fighter jet shot down a drone that entered the country’s airspace without authorization Friday, marking the first time the NATO member has intercepted and destroyed a drone inside its national airspace, authorities said.

Romanian officials have not yet identified the drone’s origin or purpose. Romania’s army chief said pilots described it as appearing to be a Shahed-type drone, Reuters reported, the Iran-designed attack drone widely used by Russia against Ukraine. 

The incident carries direct implications for the U.S. and its NATO allies, as repeated airspace breaches along the alliance’s eastern flank have fueled concerns that Russia’s war in Ukraine could spill across NATO borders. Romania, which borders Ukraine, has reported dozens of drone incursions or debris incidents since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu said the interception took place over an unpopulated area in Buzău County.

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«Our borders and our sovereignty are non-negotiable, and our military and NATO air police will continue to monitor the land border, the Danube and the Black Sea, as our military frequently identifies risks,» Țoiu told Fox News Digital. 

«The impact area and the drone debris are currently being analyzed, but the pattern is consistent with prior confirmed Russian drone flights during the numerous illegal attacks against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure on Romania’s border,» she added.

Țoiu said Romania and NATO would continue to defend allied territory.

«NATO works, and we plan to be even stronger with the decisions on air defense and budget allocation from The Hague and Ankara summits,» she said. «The path toward increased security is the path toward peace at Romania’s border. We will defend our citizens and we will continue to invest in protecting Romanian and Allied territory.»

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Explosion following what Romania’s defense ministry says was a detonation of Russian drone fragments found in a location given as near Rachelu village, Romania, in this screengrab taken from a handout video released June 30, 2026. (Romanian Defence Ministry/Handout via Reuters)

Țoiu previously told Fox News Digital July 2 that Russian drones had been detected inside Ukraine roughly 19 miles from Romania’s border, prompting two Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon jets operating from Romania’s 86th Air Base in Fetești to scramble under NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing mission. A Romanian Air Force IAR 330 Puma helicopter was also deployed, she said at the time.

Romanian President Nicușor Dan and Defense Minister Radu Miruță reaffirmed the country’s commitment to protecting its airspace and investing in modern air-defense and anti-drone capabilities, according to Țoiu.

The incident underscores the growing danger along NATO’s eastern flank as Russia continues strikes across Ukraine and Kyiv increasingly targets Russian military and energy infrastructure deeper inside Russia.

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Emergency employees work at the site of a Russian missile strikes, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv region, July 24, 2026. (Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Handout via Reuters)

The drone shootdown came as Ukraine reported deadly Russian strikes in the Kyiv region and Slovyansk. 

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a rescue operation was underway in the Kyiv region after a Russian missile strike killed six people and wounded dozens. Reuters later reported that Ukrainian officials and industry representatives said the strike killed 10 people and injured close to 100 at a site where a defense industry event was being held.

«There were also casualties in Slovyansk following guided aerial bomb strikes,» Zelenskyy said. «Five people were killed. My condolences to their families. Nine others were injured. The Russians damaged ordinary homes, the consulate building, and vehicles.»

Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said Latvia’s honorary consulate building in Slovyansk, in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast, was destroyed Friday morning in a Russian attack involving a KAB-250 guided aerial bomb, according to information provided by Ukrainian authorities.

Braže said Latvia’s honorary consul, Oleksandr Pavenko, was not injured, but two consulate staff members were wounded. She informed European Union and NATO foreign ministers and international organizations about the incident, while Latvia summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires and delivered a note of protest.

«Russia will be held accountable for this and other violations of international law,» Latvia’s Foreign Ministry said. «All war crimes committed by Russia must be thoroughly investigated, and those responsible must be brought to justice.»

Zelenskyy called the strikes «brutal attacks on civilians» and again pressed Ukraine’s partners for air-defense support.

«Interceptors for Patriot systems are the number one priority,» he said.

Ukraine also said its forces had struck one of Russia’s key military enterprises in Kirov, which Zelenskyy said supplies components for Russian aircraft and missile systems used in attacks on Ukrainian cities. Zelenskyy said Ukraine had also hit an oil facility nearly 840 miles away and that operations against Russian logistics supplying drone components, navigation equipment and military gear remained underway. Ukrainian outlet UNN reported that Zelenskyy confirmed the Kirov strike and the long-range strike on the oil facility.

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Smoke rises from Wildberries facility, from what the Ukrainian authorities say was following a drone attack, in Shushary, Pushkinsky District, St. Petersburg, Russia July 24, 2026 in this screen grab taken from a social media video. (Social media/via Reuters)

The Security Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting on Ukraine Monday at 10 a.m., as requested by Ukraine, according to a United Nations schedule viewed by Fox News Digital. The meeting comes after Kyiv has repeatedly urged the international community to respond more forcefully to Russia’s attacks on civilians and infrastructure.

The back-and-forth comes as Kyiv is trying to show battlefield momentum despite continued Russian missile and drone attacks. 

Outgoing Ukrainian Commander in Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine had recaptured 270 square miles of territory in 2026 and was handing over to his successor «an army that is not only holding the defence but is also on the offensive,» Reuters reported Wednesday. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Russian defense ministry but didn’t receive a response in time for publication.

Reuters contributed to this report. 

Nearly five months after launching a sweeping campaign against Iran’s nuclear, missile, naval and proxy capabilities, the Trump administration is now fighting to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while negotiations have yet to produce a permanent settlement.

The administration says its renewed strikes have a clear immediate objective: «making Iran pay.» Less clear is what Iran must do to end the strikes — or what conditions would allow the U.S. to step back from a growing military commitment in the region.

President Donald Trump has threatened to expand the campaign to Iran’s nuclear sites, bridges, power plants and other infrastructure.

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In response to questioning on the end goals in Iran, a U.S. official said: «Right now, the President is focused on making Iran pay for their violations of the MOU and their continued acts of terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz,» referring to the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States.

«In addition, the President will make Iran pay for the recent deaths of U.S. soldiers,» the official said.

«These devastating blows will continue until the President deems otherwise, but talks between our countries are continuing,» the official said. «President Trump has all of the cards and all options at his disposal, and Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon.»

The response defined the immediate campaign as punishment for Iran’s actions but did not identify any condition Tehran could meet to halt the strikes beyond Trump deciding that the punishment had been sufficient. Follow-up questioning by Fox News Digital went unanswered.

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When Trump launched its military Operation Epic Fury mission Feb. 28, the White House laid out four sweeping objectives: preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, destroying its ballistic missiles and production capacity, annihilating its navy and severing its support for terrorist proxies.

The administration declared those military objectives achieved in April. But Iran retained enough capability to close the Strait of Hormuz, attack commercial shipping and target U.S. forces and allies across the region.

The administration’s immediate focus is now the strait. U.S. Central Command said Thursday that its latest strikes targeted Iranian maritime capabilities, coastal surveillance sites, air defenses and missile and drone facilities to degrade Tehran’s ability to attack commercial vessels.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio has framed the current campaign as an effort to prevent Iran from establishing a «dangerous precedent» by controlling an international waterway, while maintaining that Washington remains open to diplomacy. He said Iran must stop attacking commercial ships and reopen the strait before the United States changes its behavior.

Mourners gather around a vehicle transporting the coffin of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 in Israeli and U.S. airstrikes, and coffins of his family members, on the day of his burial, in a culmination of a mass funeral, in Mashhad, Iran, July 9, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Agency, via REUTERS)

«Their behavior has to change in order for ours to change,» Rubio said Sunday.

Yet recent strikes have expanded beyond Iran’s maritime capabilities to include bridges and other infrastructure as Trump continues threatening nuclear facilities, raising new questions about how the widening target set fits into the administration’s broader strategy.

Meanwhile, the final nuclear agreement envisioned under the June memorandum of understanding has not materialized, even as the White House says talks between Washington and Iran are continuing. The memorandum had envisioned an agreement within 60 days, but renewed fighting has left its timing and prospects uncertain.

Trump has continued threatening Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, including the deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain facility. But he has also appeared to soften one of the administration’s original demands, saying in June that Iran could retain some ballistic missiles in proportion to neighboring countries.

The administration has not clarified whether the original missile objective was achieved, relaxed as part of negotiations or remains part of a future settlement, nor whether ending Iran’s support for proxies remains a condition for victory.

Publicly, the renewed campaign has a clear immediate military task — protecting shipping and preventing Iran from asserting control over Hormuz — but the connection between that mission, the stalled nuclear process and Trump’s threats to widen the war remains unexplained.

Eighteen U.S. service members have been killed since the war began, while Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told lawmakers Tuesday that the campaign has cost an estimated $37.5 billion.

Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Spalding, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank, who served as a senior strategy official in the first Trump White House, argued that the campaign can still be understood around one overriding objective.

«I think the end goal is to prevent them from having a nuclear weapon,» Spalding told Fox News Digital. «The goal is very clear. It is: How do you want to go about getting to those goals, and then what are you willing to pay to achieve them? That’s the decision that has to be made.»

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has framed the current campaign as an effort to prevent Iran from establishing a «dangerous precedent» by controlling an international waterway, while maintaining that Washington remains open to diplomacy. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

On Hormuz, Spalding predicted that protecting commercial shipping could require prolonged U.S. presence, comparing it to Operations Northern and Southern Watch, the yearslong U.S.-led enforcement of no-fly zones over Iraq.

«I don’t think that we’re leaving the area anytime soon,» Spalding said.

He described that potential mission as «almost an airborne and seaborne occupation of the strait and the Gulf» intended to preserve the free flow of international shipping.

Such a mission could give the current strikes a defined military purpose, but it would not necessarily resolve the nuclear negotiations, eliminate Iran’s remaining leverage or produce a political settlement. It could instead leave American forces enforcing access to Hormuz for an extended period while the broader conflict remains unresolved.

Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, said the administration’s changing public emphasis reflects the absence of a coherent strategy connecting its military actions to an achievable end state.

«The administration does not seem to have a clear strategy,» Vaez told Fox News Digital. «It’s been a moving goalpost.»

Vaez also argued that the conflict has given Iran a potent new form of leverage: the demonstrated ability to choke shipping through Hormuz and impose economic pain on the United States. He described Iran’s control over the strait as a «weapon of mass destruction.»

«For more than four decades, the United States has been able to coerce the Iranian regime economically,» Vaez said. «The Iranians never had the possibility of retaliating in kind, of putting pressure on the pocketbook of every American citizen.»

The U.S. is now trying to inflict enough pain on Iran that it abandons its insistence on controlling the strait, according to Vaez. But Iran views that control as its most valuable remaining source of leverage and one it cannot surrender without weakening its position in any future negotiations, he argued.

President Donald Trump confirmed the U.S. launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (The White House via X Account/Anadolu via Getty Images/Contributor/Getty Images)

«We are in a zero-sum situation,» Vaez said. «The U.S. is trying to remove a tool of leverage from the hands of the Iranians that they believe is essential to their survival.»

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Although the United States retains overwhelming military superiority, Vaez argued that neither side has been able to deliver a decisive blow. Washington can continue inflicting damage, he said, while Tehran has a greater willingness to absorb it because it views the conflict as a struggle for the regime’s survival.

«There is no military solution to resolving the problem in the strait,» Vaez said. «After much more death and destruction, I think both sides would return to the same logic that led them to agree to the MOU in the first place—which is that neither side is really able to deliver a knockout blow to the other.»