Although not naming the countries, treasury secretary Scott Bessent said the group of nations traded heavily with the U.S. and had high tariffs on U.S. goods, plus held non-tariff barriers such as domestic-content production rules.

US Treasury Secretary had said that 'Dirty 15' are those nations who account for largest trading volumes with the US and highest tariffs at the same time.

Economists and trade analysts are closely monitoring the situation, as the implementation of these tariffs could have far-reaching implications for global trade dynamics.