President Donald Trump announced that he is raising his newly unveiled global tariff from 10% to 15%, just one day after the original announcement. This move comes after the Supreme Court struck down most of his earlier tariffs, ruling that they exceeded the authority granted under a 1977 emergency‑powers law. By switching to a different law from 1974, Trump is now imposing a temporary import surcharge that can legally go up to 15%. Even with the increase, the new tariff still represents a major reduction for many countries compared to the higher rates that had been in place before the court’s ruling.
The new tariff can only last up to 150 days unless Congress steps in to extend it, and it’s unclear whether the administration could restart it immediately afterward. At the same time, the administration plans to launch fast‑tracked investigations into many major trading partners under another section of the 1974 law. These investigations could lead to additional tariffs if the U.S. concludes that its trade rights are being violated or that certain agreements unfairly burden American commerce.