Trump Imposes 10 Percent Global Tariff After Supreme Court Strikes Down Sweeping Duties, India Rate Set At 10 Percent From February 24

In a dramatic escalation of his trade agenda, United States President Donald Trump has signed an order imposing a 10 percent global tariff on all imports, just hours after the US Supreme Court struck down much of his earlier sweeping tariff regime. The new duty will take effect on February 24 for 150 days, according to a White House factsheet, marking a sharp new phase in Washington’s trade policy and sending fresh ripples through global markets.

The move comes after the Supreme Court delivered a significant legal setback to the President, ruling that he exceeded his authority by using emergency powers to impose broad tariffs on nearly every US trading partner. Despite the ruling, Trump declared that the decision changes “nothing” for his broader trade strategy and insisted that his administration would pursue alternative legal pathways to continue its tariff program.

In a 6 to 3 ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts led a majority that included the court’s three liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, along with two conservative Trump appointees Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett. The court found that the President had overstepped his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Roberts stated that when Congress has delegated tariff powers, it has done so in explicit terms and subject to strict limits. He warned that interpreting the emergency law to allow unbounded tariffs would represent a transformative expansion of presidential authority over tariff policy. In a pointed observation, the court added that the United States “is not at war with every nation in the world.”

Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented.

The ruling struck down sweeping tariffs that had generated approximately 134 billion dollars in revenue for the US government as of December 14, according to United States Customs and Border Protection data. The court did not clarify what should happen to the money already collected, leaving open the possibility of prolonged litigation. President Trump acknowledged that the issue of potential refunds could end up in court for years.

Within hours of the ruling, President Trump took to social media to announce that he had signed a fresh order imposing a 10 percent global tariff under Section 122, describing it as effective almost immediately.

“It is my great honor to have just signed, from the Oval Office, a global 10 percent tariff on all countries,” he wrote.

Speaking at a White House news conference, Trump described the Supreme Court’s decision as “deeply disappointing” and said he was “ashamed of certain members of the court for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country.” He praised Justices Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh for what he called their “strength and wisdom and love of our country.”

Trump argued that the court had not overruled tariffs as a concept but had only limited a particular use of the emergency law. “The Supreme Court did not overrule tariffs,” he said. “They merely over a particular use of International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs.”

He added that his administration has alternatives and suggested that additional investigations under Section 301 and other trade laws are being initiated to protect the country from what he called unfair trading practices.

One of the most closely watched developments concerns India. According to the White House, US trading partners that had previously negotiated tariff deals with the Trump administration, including India, will now face a uniform 10 percent duty despite earlier agreements that may have included higher rates.

The new 10 percent tariff will apply from February 24 for 150 days. However, exemptions remain for sectors under separate probes, including pharmaceuticals and goods entering the United States under the US Mexico Canada agreement.

President Trump insisted that the Supreme Court ruling does not undermine the India US trade deal. “They’ll be paying tariffs, and we will not be paying tariffs,” he said. “So the deal with India is they pay tariffs. It’s a fair deal now, and we are not paying tariffs to them, and they are paying tariffs. We did a little flip. The India deal is on. All the deals are on. We’re just going to do it in a different way.”

A White House official told AFP that the administration would seek ways to implement more appropriate or pre negotiated tariff rates in the future, suggesting that the current 10 percent structure may evolve.

The Supreme Court ruling and the swift imposition of new tariffs triggered cautious responses from global partners. Germany said it was in close contact with the United States and emphasized the need for stability and predictability in commercial relations. The European Union said it was analyzing the ruling carefully and seeking clarity on the next steps from Washington.

Canada stated that the ruling affirmed its long standing position that the Trump tariffs were unjustified.

In the United States, financial markets reacted in a relatively muted fashion. The S and P 500 rose 0.3 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 116 points, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.5 percent in morning trading following the court’s decision. Analysts noted that markets appeared to be weighing the legal setback against the administration’s determination to continue its trade offensive.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the Supreme Court’s decision, calling the tariff policy chaotic and illegal. He described it as a hidden tax that had increased costs for American consumers and placed strain on farmers and small businesses.

President Trump used his press conference to mount a forceful defense of his trade doctrine. He accused unnamed foreign interests of influencing the court and suggested that tariffs could be raised beyond current levels if necessary. He even warned that he has the power to embargo countries altogether.

When pressed for evidence of foreign influence on the Supreme Court, Trump did not provide specific proof but maintained that foreign interests have undue influence over American institutions.

Vice President JD Vance also criticized what he described as the lawlessness of the court’s ruling, further highlighting the administration’s combative stance.

The confrontation underscores how central tariffs have become to Trump’s political and economic identity. Court watchers and trade experts noted that the President’s reaction was consistent with his long standing emphasis on tariffs as a tool to pressure both allies and adversaries.

While the Supreme Court has curtailed the President’s use of a key emergency authority, it has not eliminated the executive branch’s ability to impose tariffs under other statutory provisions. The administration’s reference to Section 122 and Section 301 investigations signals that more trade actions could be forthcoming.

For now, the immediate impact is clear. Starting February 24, a 10 percent global tariff will apply to US imports for 150 days, including goods from India and other trading partners that had previously negotiated separate deals.

With legal questions unresolved, billions of dollars in collected tariff revenue potentially at stake, and diplomatic negotiations in flux, the next few months promise heightened uncertainty in global trade. As Washington recalibrates its approach in the wake of the court’s decision, businesses and governments around the world are bracing for another turbulent chapter in America’s evolving trade policy.