If Friday's ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States has declared illegal the new tariffs introduced from last spring by the federal administration led by Donald Trump because this would be beyond emergency powers conferred on the President by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a 1977 law that Trump had indicated as the foundation for the application of the new commercial tariffs, the The American government, however, has no intention of giving up.

If Trump initially called the sentence "a disgrace for the nation" deliberated by a majority (six against three) by judges that the U.S. president labeled as "unpatriotic" who would have played into the hands of "foreign interests", a few hours after the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the government agency that deals with international trade policies, announced the Trump administration's willingness to "continue to implement the President's trade policy, which has been at the center of his campaign and his program."

The USTR then announced several measures "to ensure continuity in the achievement of these objectives and agreements negotiated with a number of partners that were immediately introduced by Trump, from the immediate imposition of a temporary duty of 10% on items imported into the United States. Specifying, moreover, that the Supreme Court's decision 'only addresses the question of the constitutionality of "reciprocal duties" and on fentanyl imposed by President Trump", the agency has specified that "the "extended duties" that President Trump has imposed on other provisions regulations will remain in force. For example, the USTR pointed out existing duties under Section 301 on China varying from 7.5% to 100%, depending on the product, and sectoral duties existing under Section 232 ranging from 10% to 50%, to depending on the product. These measures cover 30% of the current US imports".

The proclamation on temporary tariffs signed on Friday by Donald Trump explains that the measure is aimed at "addressing the problems of international payments and to continue the work of the administration to rebalance our relations for the benefit of workers, farmers and American producers". The temporary nature of these duties is limited to a period of 150 days starting tomorrow.

Announcing the new measures, the USTR highlighted that "the President Trump has also used the IEEPA to address trade deficit, which has skyrocketed to stars of 40% during the Biden administration and has favored the Relocation of manufacturing and agricultural production while lining the pockets of countries, companies and foreign workers. In the second half of 2025 - Federal Agency Said - Trade Deficit Showed a clear downward trend, particularly because other countries have agreed on trade arrangements which have maintained the US protective tariff while opening up their markets to U.S. exports. Between April 1, 2025 and 31 December 2025 - the USTR underlined - the trade deficit of goods decreased by 17%. Regardless of the Today's decision of the Court, these challenges, and the enormous progress made by the - the federal agency ruled - remain".

The USTR's statements on the evolution of the deficit U.S. trade followed, and was denied, from the analysis presented the previous day by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce led by Howard W. Lutnick who was appointed minister by Donald Trump to whom he has become closely linked in recent years supporting his campaign for his return to the White House. The BEA document explains that in 2025 the balance deficit of American goods and services was 901.5 billion dollars, or 2.1 billion less (i.e. a decrease equal to only at -0.2%) of the 903.5 billion in 2024. In particular, the exports amounted to 3,432.3 billion dollars, in which growth of 199.8 billion over 2024, and exports have totaled 4,333.8 billion, with an increase of 197.8 billion. In addition, the analysis specifies that the decrease in 2025 of the deficit in the balance of goods and services reflects - contrary to the according to the USTR - a growth of 25.5 billion in the deficit in the balance of goods, equal to +2.1%, to 1,240.9 billion and an increase in the surplus of the balance of services of 27.6 billion, or +8.9%, to 339.5 billion.

Then there is the huge increase of +40% in the trade deficit during the Biden administration highlighted by the USTR, the same U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis had previously confirmed the increase between 2020 and 2022 and determined by a significant growth in imports for economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic driven by domestic demand much higher than export growth trade deficit, which, however, after this period has fallen it is stabilized and so it was also in 2025.

Meanwhile, Trump also signed an order on Friday Executive confirming the suspension of the "de minimis" regime granting exemption from duties for shipments of low-value goods ( of 31 July 2025).