WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on February 20, 2026, that President Donald Trump had overstepped his authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose double-digit tariffs on imports. Two days later, the administration imposed a 10% global tariff on imports under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.

The IEEPA tariffs generated $166 billion in revenue before the court ruled that the act could not be used to impose tariffs. Section 122 allows the president to impose global tariffs as high as 15% for up to 150 days, and the new tariffs are set to expire on July 24, 2026.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will begin hearings in two investigations expected to lead to a new round of tariffs. A hearing on Tuesday and Wednesday will examine whether 60 economies, from Nigeria to Norway and accounting for 99% of U.S. imports, prohibit trade in products created by forced labor. Next week, the administration will hold hearings on whether 16 trading partners, including China, the European Union and Japan, are overproducing goods and putting U.S. manufacturers at a disadvantage. Those economies account for 70% of U.S. imports.

The administration has brought the investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which authorizes tariffs and other sanctions against countries engaging in "unjustifiable," "unreasonable" or "discriminatory" trade practices. Section 301 tariffs expire after four years but can be extended. During Trump's first term, Section 301 tariffs against China withstood legal challenges when used to address trade practices related to technology promotion.

Trump said, "New tariffs are going to get us more money." U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer addressed the forced-labor investigation. "For too long, American workers and firms have been forced to compete against foreign producers who may have an artificial cost advantage gained from the scourge of forced labor," he said. Greer said he will not prejudge the investigations.

Scott Lincicome of the Cato Institute's Center for Trade Policy Studies said the outcome of the investigations appeared predetermined. "If you believe the Treasury secretary and the president, then the cake is already baked. These investigations will result in tariffs that approximate what the Supreme Court overruled in February," he said.