WASHINGTON, Feb 24 - A White House official said on Tuesday that the Trump administration is working to lift the temporary global tariff rate to 15% from the 10% level that had been published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The official conveyed that President Donald Trump remains committed to the 15% figure he announced on Saturday, following a formal presidential order issued on Friday that established a 10% tariff. That initial 10% rate was set to apply to the temporary global tariff for a span of 150 days, according to the order.
These temporary duties are being imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The administration has characterized the Section 122 measure as a replacement mechanism for the previous global emergency tariffs, which the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated on Friday.
The White House official said there was no additional detail to provide about when, or by what procedural steps, the tariff rate might be raised to 15%. The official also noted a legal and administrative constraint on collections: CBP may collect tariffs only on the basis of information that appears in formal presidential executive orders or proclamations.
In practice, that means the 10% rate published by CBP reflects the currently implementable collection authority. Any increase to 15% would require the appropriate formal documentation or publication to permit CBP to lawfully collect at that higher rate.
The account from the White House underscores two coexisting facts reported by administration officials: first, the president's stated preference for a 15% tariff; and second, that a formal order already in place set a 10% duty for a defined 150-day period. Beyond those points, officials declined to supply timing or further procedural specifics for an adjustment.
Context and legal basis
The temporary global tariff involved here is being implemented under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. According to the White House official, this action is intended to take the place of the prior global emergency tariffs that were invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday. The administration initially issued a formal order for a 10% rate and has publicly stated an intent to pursue a 15% rate.
Administrative constraint
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is limited to collecting duties that are specified in formally published presidential executive orders or proclamations. That limitation means publication and formalization are necessary steps before any change in the collection rate can take effect.
This account is based on statements from a White House official and the content of the presidential order and CBP publication referenced by that official. No additional timing for a change in the tariff rate was provided.