The across-the-board global tariff imposed by President Donald Trump took effect on Tuesday at 10%, lower than the 15% rate the president said would be implemented.  A bulletin issued Tuesday by Customs and Border Protection announced an “additional 10% ad valorem duty on imported articles of every country for a period of 150 days, unless specifically exempt.” The notice comes just days after Trump said that he would raise the global tariff rate to 15% “effective immediately.”  “Based on a thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued yesterday, after MANY months of contemplation, by the United States Supreme Court, please let this statement serve to represent that I, as President of the United States of America, will be, effective immediately, raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff on Countries, many of which have been ‘ripping’ the U.S. off for decades, without retribution (until I came along!), to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.  A White House official told NBC News that the rate would start at 10% while officials prepare a separate executive order to increase it to 15%. The Daily Wire has reached out to the White House for clarification on the tariff rates.  The Customs and Border Protection bulletin cited an executive order Trump signed Friday after the Supreme Court struck down his “Liberation Day” tariffs, which had been imposed under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA). “I find that a surcharge in the form of ad valorem duties on certain imports is required to deal with the United States’ large and serious balance-of-payments deficit,” Trump wrote. “Accordingly, I impose, for a period of 150 days, a temporary import surcharge of 10 percent ad valorem, as described below, on articles imported into the United States, effective February 24, 2026.” Products exempt from the tariffs include certain critical minerals, metals used in currency, energy and energy products, certain agricultural products, pharmaceuticals, certain electronics, and some passenger vehicles.  These tariffs were imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which authorizes the president to address “certain fundamental international payment problems through surcharges and other special import restrictions.” The Supreme Court ruling has led to uncertainty surrounding Trump’s broader economic agenda. On Monday, the European Union moved to pause adoption of a trade deal with the United States that had been negotiated under Trump’s IEEPA tariffs.

The Trump administration is keeping up the pressure on the Mexican government after assisting in the operation that killed a major drug cartel kingpin over the weekend. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the Trump administration is “pushing” Mexico to take stronger action to curb the flow of illicit drugs into the United States. “We are coordinating and cooperating and pushing the Mexican government to do more to end the scourge of deadly drugs coming through our United States Southern border, which of course is now secure thanks to President Trump as well,” Leavitt said during a Fox News appearance. .@PressSec: “We encourage all Americans in Mexico to of course adhere to the guidance provided by the @StateDept… and the Mexican drug cartels know not to lay a finger on a single American or they will pay severe consequences under this @POTUS.” pic.twitter.com/gwbUaD5oi9 — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 24, 2026 Leavitt said the Sunday strike that took out longtime Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes during an operation in the southwestern town of Tapalpa, Jalisco, “would not have happened without the leadership of President Trump.” “He has made it a day one priority to target and go after these vicious drug cartels that have shipped deadly poison to our country for far too long,” Leavitt said, citing President Donald Trump’s decision to designate some of Mexico’s most notorious cartels as terrorist organizations and the administration’s dozens of military strikes on drug boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. Following Sunday’s operation, cartel members set buses and cars ablaze and erected roadblocks in some of the most popular vacation spots frequented by American tourists. The State Department urged American citizens to “shelter in place” if they are in the Mexican state of Jalisco — including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara — as well as in Tamaulipas, which borders Texas, parts of Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León. American and Canadian airlines quickly canceled flights out of Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, leaving tourists stranded. American tourist Jim Beck, who said he has been going to Puerto Vallarta “for almost twenty years,” told CNN that it’s the first time he’s been “actually terrified” while visiting the area. “We saw people running down the streets, running from the flames and stuff and the fire. And we ran back to the hotel and then that’s when they got the shelter in order place and we’ve been here all day,” Beck said. “It’s been pretty scary … all the locals being locked up and hidden with us too, there’s a few homeless people that were brought into this hotel … so that they had some place to go too. It’s been quite surreal knowing this warm, wonderful place that we come to visit a couple times a year is in lockdown and just terrifying for all the people,” he said. Leavitt said the Trump administration is “unaware of any reports of any Americans being hurt, kidnapped, or killed,” adding, “The Mexican drug cartels know not to lay a finger on a single American or they will pay severe consequences under this president.” The State Department has also set up “24/7 phone lines” to help Americans who are stranded in Mexico, Leavitt said.

Multiple officers with the New York City Police Department were targeted by people who started a snowball fight in a park after a massive winter storm dumped around two feet of snow in the area. As much of the city was at a standstill due to the storm, a large group organized a snowball fight at Washington Square Park on Monday afternoon. NYPD officers responded to the scene after some people had climbed onto the roof of one of the buildings inside the park, ABC 7 New York reported. Video shows multiple people pelting the officers with snow as others stood by with their phones out to record. Multiple officers were injured and treated at the hospital for lacerations on their faces, according to the outlet. Another video shared on social media showed two of the police officers attempting to walk through the crowd as people slung snowballs at them and ran up behind them to dump large pieces of snow on their heads. Some people in the crowd stood in front of the officers as they tried to walk through the park, and the officers threw at least two people to the ground. It does not appear that anyone was arrested, however. One of the videos showed a group of police officers fleeing from the scene as the crowd continued to hurl snowballs at them. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the actions “disgraceful” and “criminal.” “The NYPD is aware of certain videos taken earlier today in Washington Square Park showing individuals attacking cops. I want to be very clear: The behavior depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal,” Tisch said. “Our detectives are investigating this matter.” New York City Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has referred to police as “racist” and a “threat” in the past, has not commented on the incident. Following the snowball attack on police, Mamdani was put on blast by New York political rivals, including former Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who both lost to Mamdani in the 2025 mayoral election. “This is disgraceful. But with a mayor who has a history of calling the police ‘racist, evil, wicked and corrupt,’ he set the tone,” Cuomo wrote on X. “Words have consequences. We are seeing that in the growing disrespect for law enforcement — just as we’ve seen it in the rise in antisemitism. Real leaders understand that. This mayor does not. @NYCMayor must denounce this at once.” Adams, who left office last month after Mamdani’s victory, wrote, “Watching officers get pelted with snow while they are out in brutal weather protecting this city should make every New Yorker furious. It is disgusting behavior. And the politicians who constantly bash the police and refuse to have their backs are setting a terrible example. Leadership matters. Tone matters. ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS must speak out and make it clear that attacks on our officers, in any form, will not stand. Back the police. Full stop.” New York Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney also pointed the finger at Mamdani after the snowball mob targeted police officers. “You can thank Mamdani’s anti-police rhetoric for this,” she said. “New Yorkers should not stand for this and those responsible should be held accountable.” The major winter storm was the first test of Mamdani’s emergency preparedness and response as mayor, and he also faced criticism after the city struggled to attract snow shovelers. After few people signed up to clear snow, the city reportedly increased the hourly wage from $19.14 to $30 per hour.

Mexican special forces take out Jalisco Cartel leader “El Mencho,” sparking violence across 20 Mexican states. President Donald Trump will deliver the annual State of the Union address on Tuesday night, and another high-profile name has been arrested in the U.K. over their connection to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It’s Tuesday, February 24, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below: Mexico Takes Out Kingpin ‘El Mencho’ With help from the United States, Mexican special forces on Sunday killed longtime Jalisco Cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes. Oseguera, with a U.S. bounty of $15 million, was regarded as one of the most notorious drug traffickers in the world. He was perhaps the most powerful drug lord in the world. This was a major step by Mexico and a big win for the United States. American authorities say groups like the Jalisco Cartel are responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans a year through the drug trade. Violence has exploded across the country in the aftermath. There are many Americans stranded in Mexico right now because the violence has closed down roads and airports. At least a couple of dozen Mexican National Guardsmen have been killed so far in the fighting. SOTU Preview President Trump will deliver his annual State of the Union address tonight — a high-stakes moment for outlining his administration’s priorities and shaping the message Republicans will take into the 2026 midterm elections. It’s expected to be a consequential evening, with Trump highlighting what he frames as major accomplishments in the first year of his second term and stressing policy directions he hopes will resonate with Republican voters. Expect him to spotlight what he describes as historic gains at the southern border, touting a dramatic crackdown on illegal immigration and stepped-up deportations. He is also likely to point to diplomatic and security developments in the Middle East, including the continued tension between the United States, Israel, and Iran, as talks over Iran’s nuclear program continue in Geneva and officials caution that the risk of conflict remains high. On trade, Trump is pressing forward. After the Supreme Court limited his earlier tariff framework, the administration implemented a 10% global tariff under separate authority, with the president saying he would prefer to raise it to 15%. The current rate remains at 10%, but Trump is expected to make the case that tougher trade measures are key to protecting American workers and reducing the trade deficit. The president is also likely to highlight efforts to make American cities safer, reinforcing law-and-order themes that are central to his broader political narrative. All told, tonight’s address is set to be part accomplishments report, part policy outline, and part strategic messaging designed to shape the national debate — and Republican positioning — as voters head into the midterms later this year. Ex-Ambassador Mandelson Arrested Former U.K. ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson was arrested Monday over “suspicion of misconduct” in office. The charges stem from newly released Jeffrey Epstein files. Mandelson served under Prime Minister Keir Starmer before Starmer removed him in September 2025. The scandal erupting around Mandelson has threatened to tear apart Starmer’s government, as well as further validating concerns about Mandelson prior to his appointment, based on information in the Epstein files. The arrest comes just days after British police arrested former Prince Andrew in connection with his ties to Epstein. Morning Wire spoke with GB News host Bev Turner about the latest fallout from the Epstein files. According to Turner, Mandelson could be in major trouble: “It genuinely carries a risk of life imprisonment. If you are found guilty of misconduct in public office, it’s an incredibly serious charge.”

The European Union has paused approval of a trade deal with the United States following warnings from President Donald Trump that countries should not “play games” in response to a Supreme Court ruling striking down many of his tariffs.  Bernd Lange, the chair of the European Parliament’s international trade committee, announced Monday that a trade agreement reached in July 2025, known as the Turnberry Deal, has been put “on hold until further notice!” “Clarity & legal certainty are needed before any further steps can be taken,” Lange wrote on social media.  The announcement came as Trump warned that he could raise tariffs on countries that alter their course in response to the Supreme Court ruling.  “Any Country that wants to ‘play games’ with the ridiculous supreme court decision, especially those that have ‘Ripped Off’ the U.S.A. for years, and even decades, will be met with a much higher Tariff, and worse, than that which they just recently agreed to,” Trump said Monday on Truth Social.  The trade deal would have established a baseline 15% tariff on imports from the European Union, with higher rates for steel and aluminum. The bloc also agreed to purchase $750 billion in American energy, invest an additional $600 billion into the United States, and purchase American military equipment.  After the Supreme Court ruled Friday, Trump announced a 10% global tariff on all imports into the United States. He later said he would raise it to 15%, though that increase has not yet taken effect. The 10% tariffs went into effect Tuesday morning, but a White House official told NBC News that they would be increased to 15% once the proper documentation was ready for the president to sign. Lange claimed that those actions violated the terms of the trade agreement.  “We wanted to have really stability and predictability. And unfortunately, the government, the president of the United States, has really made a breach of this deal several times,” he told CNBC on Tuesday. “We need clarity, and this is also my clear request for the United States government — give us a certainty that for the next three years, we have no other irritations with new tariffs from the United States, and then we stick to the deal.” In his dissent from the decision striking down Trump’s tariff, Justice Brett Kavanaugh warned that the ruling “could generate uncertainty” around trade agreements negotiated under the tariffs imposed under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA). Beyond adding confusion to existing trade agreements, the tariff decision has also prompted further litigation. On Monday, FedEx sued the Trump administration seeking a full refund of the tariffs it paid under IEEPA.