Since the Supreme Court struck down its “Liberation Day” tariffs earlier this year, the White House has been turning to other ways of getting trade policy all wrong. Its first idea was a 150-day tariff of 10% applied to almost all imports. When that measure expired last week, officials were ready with yet another scheme. This one may prove more durable — and hence far more damaging.

The new policy essentially replicates the old under a more creative legal interpretation. It imposes so-called Section 301 tariffs of up to 12.5% on US trading partners that have failed to pass or enforce laws banning products made with forced labor. According to the White House, that covers almost all the goods the US imports. The pretext strains credulity for sure. But the measure might nonetheless pass legal muster and comes with no automatic expiration........

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