New US tariffs come in at lower 10% rate

The United States imposed an additional tariff from Tuesday of 10% on all goods not covered by exemptions, a notice issued by ‌U.S. Customs and Border Protection said, the rate initially announced by President Donald ‌Trump on Friday rather than the 15% he promised a day later. Reacting to the Supreme Court ruling that threw ​out his tariffs that had been justified on grounds of an emergency, Trump initially announced a new temporary global tariff of 10%.

He said on Saturday he would increase it to 15%. In a notice described as intended to “provide guidance regarding the February 20, 2026 Presidential Proclamation,” ‌CBP said that, aside from products ⁠specified as subject to exemptions, imports would “be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of 10%”. The move added to confusion surrounding U.S.

trade ⁠policy, with no explanation offered for why the lower rate had been used. The Financial Times quoted a White House official saying the increase up to 15% would come later. Reuters could ​not ​immediately confirm this.

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Collection of the new tariffs began ​at midnight, while the collection of ‌the tariffs annulled by the Supreme Court was halted. They had ranged from 10% to as much as 50%. The Section 122 law allows the president to impose the new duties for up to 150 days on any and all countries to address “large and serious” balance-of-payments deficits and “fundamental international payments problems.” Trump’s tariff order argued that a serious balance of payments deficit ‌existed in the form of a $1.2 trillion annual U.S.

​goods trade deficit and a current account deficit ​of 4% of GDP and a reversal ​of the U.S. primary income surplus. On Monday Trump warned countries against ‌backing away from recently negotiated trade deals ​with the U.S., saying ​that if they did, he would hit them with much higher duties under different trade laws.

Japan said on Tuesday it had asked the United States to ensure ​its treatment under a new ‌tariff regime would be as favourable as in an existing agreement. Both the ​European Union and Britain have indicated they want to stick to deals ​already agreed.

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