President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has signed an executive order imposing a 10 percent tariff on imports from countries around the world, a sweeping measure that he said would take effect “almost immediately.”
“It is my Great Honor to have just signed, from the Oval Office, a Global 10% Tariff on all Countries, which will be effective almost immediately,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The tariffs are scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on February 24.
The order creates what the White House described as a temporary global tariff designed to maintain much of the administration’s trade policy after a major legal setback earlier in the day.
Why Trump Needed to Sign a New Order
Trump moved quickly because the Supreme Court had just struck down his earlier tariff framework.
In a 6 to 3 decision, the court rejected the administration’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose sweeping tariffs, ruling that the law did not give the president authority to enact broad import taxes.
The ruling halted a cornerstone of Trump’s trade agenda and raised new questions about the limits of presidential authority over tariffs.
In response, the administration pursued a new legal approach to keep tariffs in place.
How Trump Is Getting Around the Supreme Court Ruling
The new tariffs are based on Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, a different legal authority than the one the Supreme Court rejected.
This statute allows the president to impose tariffs of up to 15 percent for up to 150 days to address a “large and serious balance-of-payments deficit.”
Because the authority is temporary, the tariffs can remain in effect for 150 days unless Congress passes legislation extending them.
Some experts said the administration may use this period to prepare other trade investigations that could justify longer lasting tariffs under additional laws.
Gregory Husisian, a trade attorney, said the authority “is for a limited time period, so it’s going to be a bridge authority.”
Trump also emphasized that other tariffs were unaffected by the court ruling.
“Effective immediately, all national security tariffs under Section 232, and existing Section 301 tariffs — they’re existing, they’re there — remain in place, fully in place, and in full force and effect,” he told reporters.
What Trump Is Saying About the Court Decision
Trump strongly criticized the Supreme Court ruling and several of the justices who supported it, including two he appointed.
“Those members of the Supreme Court who voted against our very acceptable and proper method of TARIFFS should be ashamed of themselves,” he wrote. “Their decision was ridiculous but, now the adjustment process begins.”
He also criticized Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, saying votes like theirs “never seems to happen with Democrats.”
During a press conference, Trump called the ruling “deeply disappointing” but insisted it would not stop his trade strategy.
“Their decision’s incorrect. But it doesn’t matter, because we have very powerful alternatives that have been approved by this decision,” he said.
What the Tariffs Cover
The 10 percent tariff applies broadly to imports from nearly all countries, although there are exemptions.
The White House said certain goods will be excluded, including some products in sectors such as energy, pharmaceuticals, autos, aerospace, and agriculture. Imports from Canada and Mexico that comply with the United States Mexico Canada Agreement are also exempt.
Trump also announced new investigations into trading practices of specific countries, which could lead to higher tariffs later.
“We are also initiating several Section 301 and other investigations to protect our country from unfair trade practices of other countries and companies,” he said.
Officials said the new tariffs combined with existing ones would preserve revenue levels despite the court decision.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said tariffs under Section 122 along with Section 232 and Section 301 measures “will result in virtually unchanged tariff revenue in 2026.”
Legal experts noted that Section 122 authority has rarely been used this way and provides only temporary power, meaning additional steps may be needed to maintain tariffs long term.
There are also unresolved questions about how companies might seek refunds for tariffs paid under the previous framework, which Trump said would likely be handled through litigation.
The new tariffs begin February 24 and can remain in place for up to 150 days under the law unless Congress extends them.
For now, Trump made clear that he intends to continue using multiple legal tools to maintain pressure on foreign trading partners.
“We have a lot of tools out there,” U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said. “You can look forward in the coming days and weeks to seeing all of that come out. And we’re going to keep continuity in the program.”
FAM Editor: It sounds like Trump has a great many alternatives, but it is certain that the Democrat will attempt to chip away at Trump’s authority.
