White House ends part of tariffs, and Trump signs 10% global taxation

Trump announces global tariff The White House published, on Friday night (20), an executive order that formalizes the Donald Trump administration’s decision to end part of the tariff. At the same time, the president informed that he has already signed the measure that institutes a new global tariff of 10%, with immediate effect. “In light of recent events, additional duties imposed under IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Powers Act), established by previous executive orders, will cease to be in effect and, as soon as possible, will no longer be charged,” the White House said in the document. 📱Download the g1 app to see news in real time and for free The order was published after the US Supreme Court overturned the tariff and President Trump announced that he would resort to a new legal basis to apply a 10% global tariff on imported products. On the Truth Social network, the republican confirmed the signing of the decree that institutes the new taxation for all countries that maintain trade relations with the USA. “It is a great honor for me to have just signed, from the Oval Office, a 10% global tariff on all countries, which will take effect almost immediately,” he wrote. Earlier, by a vote of 6 to 3, the majority of Supreme Court justices concluded that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not allow the president to create tariffs on his own — a decision that motivated the executive order published this evening. (read more below) The court’s conclusion represented the biggest setback for the president since his return to office in January 2025. In a statement to journalists, Trump fired at the court’s judges and classified the Court’s decision as “shameful” and “terrible”. “I am ashamed of certain members of the Court, who did not have the courage to do what is right for our country. To me, they gave in to foreign interests.” The Republican also stated that there are “even stronger methods” at his disposal to impose new trade tariffs. “Other outlets will be used,” he said, adding that the US could raise “even more money.” Trump announced the activation of Section 122 of US trade legislation, which allows the president to impose temporary tariffs, to establish a new global tariff of 10% valid for 150 days. The government will also use Section 301 to open investigations into unfair trade practices, which could result in additional tariffs. (understand the provisions below) The court’s decision mainly affected the so-called reciprocal tariffs, which represent the core of the government’s tariff strategy. Other tariffs in force, such as those applied to steel, aluminum and fentanyl, were not affected. MORE Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh were the outvotes. Roberts stated that Trump needs “clear authorization from Congress” to justify the tariff, citing precedent from the Supreme Court itself. ⚖️ The case entered court in mid-2025, with a lawsuit filed by companies impacted by the tariffs and by 12 American states, mostly governed by Democrats, who questioned the use of the law to unilaterally impose import tariffs. The case reached the Supreme Court through appeals filed by the Trump administration. In practice, the judges confirmed the lower court decision that concluded that Trump exceeded his authority by using the 1977 IEEPA. Earlier, in a meeting with state governors, the Republican had already classified the decision as “a shame” and stated that he had a “plan B” to maintain taxes on imported products, according to Reuters. Understand the legal alternatives for Trump The Trump administration has already indicated that it may seek other legal grounds to impose import tariffs, such as arguments linked to national security or trade practices considered unfair. Check out the legal paths that the US president can use to maintain or reintroduce tariffs, according to analyzes by Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank and Panmure Liberum. Some of these alternatives were also mentioned in Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s dissenting opinion. Section 122 of the Commerce Act This is one of the quickest options for the government. The law allows tariffs of up to 15% to be applied for a period of up to six months in situations of imbalance in external accounts or risk of dollar devaluation, without the need for formal investigation. After this period, Congress must approve the extension of the measures. Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 This alternative allows for investigations into trade practices considered unfair by other countries. If confirmed, the government can impose tariffs with no limit on value or duration. The process, however, is slower, as it requires formal investigation and public consultation, which can take months. Trump already used this instrument in his first term to tax Chinese imports, which led to a prolonged trade dispute between the two countries. Section 338 of the 1930 Act This law authorizes tariffs of up to 50% against countries that discriminate against U.S. trade. It has never been used in practice and does not require a formal investigation, which may make it a quicker route than Section 301, albeit with a cap on fees. Section 232 of the Trade Act of 1962 Another possibility is to resort to the law that allows tariffs to be imposed for reasons of national security, already applied to products such as steel, aluminum and automobiles, which continue to be taxed. In this case, the government argues that dependence on imports could weaken local industry and compromise the country’s security. Enforcement often requires a government-led investigation, which makes the process longer than using emergency powers. What happens now? In practice, the Supreme Court’s decision overturns the so-called “reciprocal tariffs” of 10% or more, applied since April 2025 to most US trading partners based on IEEPA. With the decision, Donald Trump’s business strategy could undergo significant changes. The measures applied based on this law have been invalidated, but there are still other legal ways to impose tariffs. Specific tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, including Brazilian products, are not affected by the decision, as they were applied based on Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act, aimed at national security. Finally, the American government may also be forced to return part of the billions raised from import tariffs. According to economists at the Penn-Wharton Budget Model, this value could exceed US$175 billion (around R$912.5 billion). Tariffs on Brazilian products In April 2025, when announcing the so-called reciprocal tariffs, Trump applied an additional 10% tariff on Brazilian products imported into the USA. In July, it imposed a new increase of 40%, bringing the total rate to 50%. The measure, however, was accompanied by an extensive list of exceptions, which excluded items such as orange juice, civil aircraft, oil, vehicles and auto parts, fertilizers and products from the energy sector from the additional 40% rate. The new rate came into force on August 6th. In November, after Trump began direct negotiations with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), the US removed the 40% tariff on more items, including coffee, meat and fruit. Months earlier, in a speech at the UN, the president said he had “excellent chemistry” with Lula. Specific tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, including Brazilian products, are not affected by the decision, as they were applied based on Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Law of 1962. * Janize Colaço and Micaela Santos collaborated

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