The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has launched its first trade investigation as part of a broader series of probes intended to serve as the foundation for imposing new tariffs. The investigation is being carried out by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and targets 60 countries, including Indonesia.

The Indonesian government stated that it is not concerned about the investigation conducted by the United States, as it considers the process to be part of a legal procedure.

Spokesperson for the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of Indonesia, Haryo Limanseto, said the government had confirmed the matter with USTR to clarify the next steps. According to him, the U.S. side requested that Indonesia simply follow the established procedures.

“They (the U.S.) responded by saying that we should just follow the process,” Haryo said during a communal iftar event at the ministry’s office, as quoted on Monday (March 16, 2026).

The investigation concerns allegations that certain countries have failed to take action against forced labor practices. Regarding this issue, Haryo explained that the matter of alleged forced labor had already been discussed during negotiations for a trade agreement between Indonesia and the United States that has been mutually agreed upon.

“We will participate in the investigation by providing the necessary data. We believe the concerns being raised have actually already been addressed during the ART negotiations,” he said.

The ART agreement itself was signed by Indonesia and the United States on February 19, 2026, in Washington, D.C., United States, covering trade matters between the two countries.

The USTR investigation examines the policies, actions, and practices of the 60 countries that are considered to have failed to effectively prohibit imports produced through forced labor practices, which are viewed as unfair and capable of burdening or restricting U.S. trade.

“This investigation will determine whether foreign governments have taken sufficient steps to ban imports of goods produced with forced labor and how failures to eliminate these practices affect American workers and businesses,” said U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, as quoted on Monday (March 16, 2026).

Greer also stated that forced labor compels American workers and companies to compete with overseas producers that he described as having an “artificial cost advantage.”

The USTR investigation covers 60 countries that are among the United States’ largest trading partners. In addition to Indonesia, these include Australia, Canada, Brazil, China, European Union, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.