Trump Signs 10% Global Tariff Order After Supreme Court Ruling

Trump Signs New 10% Global Tariff After Court Strikes Down Emergency Duties

President Donald Trump signed a sweeping 10 percent global tariff order on Friday, February 20, 2026, just hours after the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that his earlier emergency tariffs violated federal law. The new duties, enacted under a different legal authority — Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on February 24, keeping trade barriers in place even as the legal battle over the old tariffs continues.

The speed of the White House response surprised markets and legal analysts alike. Most had expected at least a brief period without tariffs while the administration reviewed its options. Instead, Trump signed the new order from the Oval Office and posted on Truth Social: "It is my Great Honor to have just signed, from the Oval Office, a Global 10% Tariff on all Countries."

The Supreme Court's ruling had been a genuine shock to the administration. Six justices — including Trump appointees Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch — found that his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose permanent global tariffs exceeded presidential authority. Trump called Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who dissented, his "new hero."

What Section 122 Allows — and Limits

Section 122 gives the president authority to impose tariffs of up to 15 percent for a maximum of 150 days without congressional approval. After that period, Congress must vote to extend them. This creates a hard deadline: the new tariffs will expire automatically in July 2026 unless lawmakers act.

Democrats and some Republicans have already signaled they will not vote for an extension. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska called the tariffs "economically reckless." Dozens of businesses, including Costco and major retail chains, have sued the government seeking refunds on the tens of billions of dollars they paid under the now-struck tariffs.

According to Dr. Mary Lovely, Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, "The legal gymnastics here are extraordinary. The administration is essentially running the same policy through a different statutory vehicle while the courts decide what to do with the old one. Businesses have no idea what they owe or what they will get back."

Global Reaction

South Korea's government convened an emergency inter-ministerial meeting to review the ruling and the new tariff order. South Korea ships $132 billion in goods to the United States annually and faces severe competitive pressure under a flat 10 percent levy on all exports. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said his government would "examine all options" in response.

The European Union's trade commissioner warned that Brussels was "ready to retaliate proportionally" if the new tariffs were not withdrawn. Japan filed a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization within 48 hours of the order being signed. China, which already faces separate tariffs well above 10 percent, called the move "an act of economic aggression."

With the 150-day clock now ticking and a July deadline approaching, the battle over American trade policy is moving from the courts to Capitol Hill — and the outcome is far from certain.