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First modification: 02/24/2026 - 15:37
The new universal rate of 10% came into effect on February 24 after the Supreme Court's setback to Donald Trump's trade strategy. While the White House is evaluating raising it to 15%, the European Union is freezing agreements and thousands of companies are demanding up to $175 billion in possible refunds of the “illegal” tariffs that the Government has deployed since April 2025.
This Tuesday, February 24, the United States began to apply a global tariff of 10% to all imported products, in a new escalation of trade policy promoted by President Donald Trump that is once again shaking international markets and straining relations with its main partners.
The measure comes into force after last Friday, February 20, the Supreme Court limited the president's ability to impose or modify tariffs without the prior approval of Congress, considering that he erroneously used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a 1977 regulation designed for national emergencies and under which Trump used protection to unleash a trade war that began on April 2, 2025.
Despite that judicial setback, Trump announced that same day that he would “quickly” implement a flat 10% tariff for all trading partners through an alternative legal mechanism.
Read also Trump's new 10% global tariffs come into force: which ones are annulled after the Supreme Court ruling? - France 24
Later, in a message posted on his Truth Social platform, he stated that he would raise that rate to 15% with immediate effect, ensuring that the new level was “totally legal.”
However, US Customs and Border Protection informed importers that the initial rate would be 10% and would apply to “all countries for a period of 150 days, unless specifically exempt.”
The Supreme Court's decision, which cuts the Executive's room for maneuver on tariff matters, has increased uncertainty in the financial markets, which were already adjusting to the new tax map deployed by Trump since April 2025.
“I want my money back”
On the home front, the battle moves to the courts. Nearly 1,000 companies have sued the US government and requested refunds for tariffs they consider "illegal."
Among them is the courier and transportation company FedEx, which filed a lawsuit with the International Trade Court demanding full refund of emergency levies imposed under the now-questioned law. His request is the most recent, known on Monday, February 23.
But it is not the only one, since there is a long list of companies around the world that have challenged the Trump Administration's broad tariffs.
Executives, customs agents and trade lawyers are preparing for an eventual court ruling that could open the door to a battle for up to $150 billion in refunds.
Read alsoUS Customs announces it will stop collecting tariffs on Tuesday; Trump threatens to raise them again - France 24
According to estimates from the Penn-Wharton Budget Model, prepared at the request of Reuters, more than $175 billion in US customs duty collections would be subject to possible refunds. The calculation is based on a model that analyzes tariff rates by product and country for the specific taxes imposed during the current administration.
For its part, the Treasury Department has reported strong increases in customs revenue in recent months: some $20 billion additional monthly compared to the period before the tariffs were imposed.
With Reuters
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