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Bypassing court ruling, Trump imposes 15% US global tariff under alternative mechanism

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22.02.2026

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he would impose a 15% global tariff on US imports from all countries, the maximum level allowed under the law, after the country’s Supreme Court struck down his previous tariff program.

The move came less than 24 hours after Trump announced a 10% across-the-board tariff on Friday after the court’s decision. The president on Saturday upped the rate to 15%.

The ruling found that Trump had exceeded his authority when he imposed an array of higher rates under an economic emergency law.

The new levies are grounded in a separate but untested law, known as Section 122, that allows tariffs up to 15% but requires congressional approval to extend them after 150 days. No US president has previously invoked Section 122, and its use could lead to further legal challenges.

Trade experts and congressional aides are skeptical that the Republican-majority Congress would extend the tariffs, given polls that show growing numbers of Americans blame the duties for higher prices.

Trump eyes other ways to impose tariffs

In a social media post on Saturday, Trump said he would use the 150-day period to work on issuing other “legally permissible” tariffs. The administration intends to rely on two other statutes that permit import taxes on specific products or countries based on investigations into national security or unfair trade practices.

“I, as President of the United States of America, will be, effective immediately, raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff on Countries, many of which have been ‘ripping’ the US off for decades, without retribution (until I came along!), to the fully allowed, and legally........

© The Times of Israel