▲ U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at the White House in Washington on Feb. 20, 2026, in this photo released by Reuters. (Yonhap)

(3rd LD) Trump-tariff ruling

(3rd LD) Trump signs proclamation to impose new 10 pct global tariff after Supreme Court ruling

(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 10-12)

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed a proclamation to impose a new 10 percent global tariff and vowed to take other measures to replace the sweeping emergency duties that the Supreme Court struck down.

The proclamation came after the high courts ruled against his use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify country-specific "reciprocal" tariffs and other duties in what he called a "deeply disappointing" decision.

For the new 10 percent tariff set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, Trump invoked Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act -- a provision that allows the president to impose import restrictions, including tariffs and import quotas.

Some goods will not be subject to the duty, including certain critical minerals, metals used in currency and bullion, and energy products; certain agricultural products; and passenger vehicles, certain light trucks, certain medium and heavy-duty vehicles, according to a fact sheet released by the White House.

During a press conference earlier in the day, Trump unveiled the plan for the new tariff, stressing that his administration has "even stronger measures" than the IEEPA.

"Today, I will sign an order to impose a 10 percent global tariff under Section 122 over and above our normal tariffs already being charged," Trump said.

"We're also initiating several Section 301, and other investigations to protect our country from unfair trading practices of other countries and companies," he added, referring to the 1974 Trade Act.

Under Section 122, the president can impose import surcharges of up to 15 percent, and other measures, such as import quotas, to address serious external trade and financial imbalances. Those measures can initially last for up to five months.

"During that period of five months, we are doing the various investigations necessary to put fair tariffs or tariffs ... on other countries," Trump said. "So we are doing that period, but we're immediately instituting the 10 percent provision, which we are allowed to do."

Aside from the Section 122 measure, the Trump administration plans to initiate investigations under Section 301 to "deal with unjustifiable, unreasonable, discriminatory, and burdensome acts, policies, and practices by many trading partners," U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer said in a statement.

The Section 301 investigations are expected to cover "most major trading partners" and address areas of concern, such as industrial excess capacity, forced labor, pharmaceutical pricing practices, discrimination against U.S. technology companies and digital goods and services, to name a few, according to Greer.

Section 301 allows the USTR to impose tariffs or other import curbs, among other measures, to remedy a foreign trade practice.

Trump said that the court's decision might "not substantially constrain a president's ability to order tariffs going forward" as he underscored that his administration has "numerous" other tools at its disposal to impose duties.

"The good news is that there are methods, practices, statutes and authorities, as recognized by the entire court and also is recognized by Congress, that are even stronger than the IEEPA tariffs available to me as the president of the United States," he said during the press conference.

As for other legal tools that his administration can use to maintain its tariff policy, the president outlined a series of provisions, including Section 122, 201 and 301 of the 1974 Trade Act and Section 338 of the 1930 Tariff Act.

Castigating the court ruling, Trump claimed that foreign countries that have been "ripping us off" are "ecstatic."

"They are so happy, and they are dancing in the streets, but they won't be dancing for long," he said. "I can assure you."

He also said that the court has been "swayed by foreign interests and a political movement that is far smaller than people would ever think."

In April, Trump announced his IEEPA-based reciprocal tariff plan, arguing that a lack of "reciprocity" in trade with trading partners and their trade barriers led to "large" and "persistent" trade deficits, which he said posed an "unusual" and "extraordinary" threat to U.S. national security and the economy.

But the high court said that the framers of the U.S. Constitution gave "Congress alone" the power to impose tariffs during peacetime, and that the foreign affairs implications of tariffs do not make it any more likely that Congress would relinquish its tariff power "through vague language, or without careful limits."

The Trump administration has levied reciprocal tariffs of 15 percent on South Korean products, down from 25 percent following a bilateral deal under which Seoul committed to investing US$350 billion in the U.S., among other pledges, in return for the tariff reduction.

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