Month: February 2026

Source: United States White House

On this day 190 years ago, a small band of patriots defiantly stood against the Mexican Army at the Battle of the Alamo—one of the most legendary displays of American courage, resilience, and devotion to liberty in the history of our country.

Following years of authoritarian abuses and repression under the tyrannical rule of Mexican President Santa Anna, growing outrage among Texan settlers erupted into the Texas Revolution in the fall of 1835.  Seeking to stop the rebellion and strengthen his grip on power, in February of 1836, Santa Anna marched his troops north to reclaim San Antonio de Béxar from Texan control.  At the heart of the city stood the Alamo, a former Mexican mission turned fortress, defended by just over 200 Texan settlers.  On February 23, as Mexican forces closed in, the Alamo became their last line of defense.

On that fateful day, more than 1,800 Mexican forces unleashed a bombardment of cannon and musket fire against the defenders of the Alamo.  With immortal heroes like William Travis of South Carolina, Kentucky-born Jim Bowie, and Tennessee’s Davy Crockett, settlers from Texas and across the United States stood firm for an extraordinary 13 days, severely depleting the Mexican army.  Legend holds that these 13 days also bought crucial time for Sam Houston, Commander in Chief of the Texas Army, to build the rest of the forces that would later win Texas’ independence.

Though the Alamo fell and almost every defender was killed, their sacrifice was not in vain.  The martyrs of the Alamo ignited a flame that could not be extinguished, rallying Texan forces under the immortal battle cry: “Remember the Alamo.”  Just weeks later, that cry thundered across the fields of San Jacinto, where Texan forces defeated Santa Anna and the Mexican Army and secured the long-awaited glory of independence.  A decade later, Texas officially joined the United States, forever enshrining its legacy of courage and sacrifice into the American story.

On the 190th anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo, we remember the legion of heroes who stood up to tyranny and evil in the face of certain death.  Their story is a testament to the immense cost of securing liberty and reminds us that history is shaped by those willing to stand firm when all hope seems lost.  Guided by their spirit, particularly as we celebrate 250 glorious years of American independence, my Administration will continue to defend our homeland against foreign invaders and enemies who seek to destroy our country—and we will never waver in protecting the sacred rights that make America the greatest bastion of freedom in the world.

Source: United States White House

Today, President Donald J. Trump welcomed Angel Families to the White House for an emotional ceremony honoring American lives tragically taken by criminal illegal aliens who never should have been in our country. Paying solemn tribute to the second anniversary of Laken Riley’s murder, President Trump signed a Proclamation designating February 22 as National Angel Family Day — a day of remembrance for victims and their grieving loved ones devastated by the consequences of open border policies.

With America’s border now the most secure in history, the Trump Administration remains unwavering in its commitment to remove dangerous criminal illegal aliens from our communities, ensure accountability, and make sure not one more American family has to endure this pain.

• Allyson Phillips, whose 22-year-old daughter, Laken Riley, was killed by an illegal alien while out for a run in Georgia: “If you’ve lived that nightmare that we have lived, you understand the importance of the job that he is doing in securing our nation and fighting for our families — because this could be any family.” (Watch)
• Steve Ronnebeck, whose 21-year-old son, Grant, was shot and killed by an illegal alien while working at an Arizona convenience store: “President Trump talked about Grant even before he was elected in 2016 — and finally, we had hope… Now, today, we are finally going to see that somebody’s going to remember all of our loved ones.” (Watch)
• Laura Wilkerson, whose son, Joshua, was tortured and killed by his illegal alien classmate: “I met a man about 11 years ago who was running for office and he sat with us a couple days, and he watched as the tears rolled down my face as I told him the story of how our youngest son, Joshua, was brutally beaten, tortured, strangled to death, and his body set on fire. The man next to me was President Trump. He never, ever, looked away from my pain. He looked me straight in the eye and he said, ‘I will never forget the story of your sweet son, and I will never give up fighting for the American family.’ … He has never missed a day of fighting for the American family.” (Watch)
• Marie Vega, whose son, former U.S. Marine and Border Patrol Agent Javier ‘Harvey’ Vega, Jr., was ambushed by two illegal aliens during a family fishing trip: “Thank God we have you in office. Without you, America, and the world, would not know the consequences of open borders. Thank you for restoring law and order. Thank you for acknowledging us — the Angel Families.” (Watch)
• Jody Jones, whose brother, Rocky, was shot and killed by an illegal alien: “I’m sick and tired of hearing these Democrat politicians stand up on these podiums and say how sorry they are for seeing these criminal illegal aliens being ‘ripped apart’ from their families. What about us? What about the American family? What about us? We mean something, too, and this man right here understands it.” (Watch)
• Officer Ethan Curreri, who arrested the illegal alien that would go on to murder Laken Riley months later: “I personally arrested José Ibarra for endangering the welfare of a child. A few months later, I saw his face again in the news after he viciously murdered Laken Riley. I did my job. I put him in custody. The system failed; no detainer, no accountability, no deportation, and an innocent American life was taken. If you enter our country illegally, there will be consequences under this Administration.” (Watch)

Source: United States White House

class=”has-text-align-center”>BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

On National Angel Family Day, we remember and honor the thousands of American lives stolen from us by criminal illegal aliens and the deadly drugs they bring across our borders.  We stand with the Angel Families, many of whom continue to be left without justice.  And we recommit to carrying out the largest mass-deportation effort in our Nation’s history, getting the worst of the worst out of our country, and putting a stop to the violence targeting the brave men and women of law enforcement.

Every year, thousands of American citizens are victimized by dangerous and criminal illegal aliens, often sent here by their home countries to get them out of their prisons or off their own streets.  After returning to office, I received a letter from a New York City police officer that filled the First Lady and me with tremendous sadness and anger.  He wrote to the White House about one of the most unconscionable of these derelictions in recent memory — the murder of Laken Riley.

In 2022, a Venezuelan man named Jose Ibarra was caught crossing the Southern Border illegally and released into our country by the Biden Administration.  A year later, this NYPD officer personally witnessed Ibarra endanger a child on the streets of New York and arrested him.  The officer was shocked to learn that, shortly thereafter, New York City — a so-called “sanctuary” jurisdiction — released Ibarra back into the community before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could issue a detainer for his removal.  Ibarra then fled to Georgia and, just a few months later, brutally murdered a beautiful young American named Laken Riley.

Stories like this officer’s, whose diligence should have prevented Laken’s murder, and heartbreaking losses suffered by countless other Angel Families, strengthen my resolve to fix the illegal immigration crisis with ferocious energy. 

The human cost of the migrant crime crisis is written in the lives of Americans like Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, and Rachel Morin, who were brutally attacked and murdered by savage illegal aliens, and in the lives of Matthew Denice, Sarah Root, and Ivory Smith, killed by drunk-driving illegal aliens.  Each of these lives and countless others were stolen by criminal illegal aliens who should have never been in our country.  Each of them was loved, full of promise, and taken far too soon.  These losses also include the thousands of Americans who die each year by fentanyl trafficked across the border by cartels and criminal illegal aliens.  That is the most tragic part of this crisis — every life taken, every child trafficked, every vehicular homicide, every drug-related death, and every crime committed in this country by an illegal alien is 100 percent preventable.

On the second anniversary of Laken Riley’s murder, we remember her kindness and the promise of her young life.  While nothing can undo the pain her family has suffered, I recommit to removing dangerous illegal alien criminals from our Nation to prevent such senseless tragedies from happening again.  As President, the first bill I signed into law was the Laken Riley Act.  In Laken’s memory, this commonsense law mandates the detention and deportation of illegal alien criminals and allows States to sue the Federal Government when politicians fail to enforce immigration laws.  In just the first 6 months of my term, I declared a National Emergency at the Southern Border, reinstated the Remain in Mexico policy, and deployed troops to the Southern Border to stop the invasion of our country.  I also designated cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and by taking targeted strikes against these narco-terrorists, we are halting the flow of deadly drugs that have plagued our communities, stolen countless American lives, and shattered families across our Nation.

Following the passage of the historic One Big Beautiful Bill in July, we are now executing the strongest immigration overhaul in modern American history.  This landmark legislation unleashes a massive surge in Homeland Security, ICE, and Border Patrol personnel, authorizes the construction of hundreds of miles of new border wall, and equips law enforcement with the tools and resources they need to arrest and remove dangerous illegal aliens from our streets and dismantle trafficking networks.

The results are undeniable.  The first quarter of fiscal year 2026 recorded the lowest numbers of southwest border apprehensions ever.  Nationwide encounters are down 92 percent from the monthly average under the previous administration, and for the ninth consecutive month, there have been zero releases along the southwest border — zero.  We have achieved the safest and most secure border in American history.  But there is still much work to do. 

We must end the violence against the brave men and women of ICE and Border Patrol.  The demonization of these heroes by radical politicians must stop, and the reckless sanctuary policies that shield criminal aliens must end once and for all. 

I am also calling on the Congress to pass Kate’s Law — legislation that imposes stronger penalties on individuals who illegally re-enter the United States after being deported, especially those previously convicted of crimes.  These actions are how we will stop these tragic killings from happening time and time again.

A Nation without strong borders is not truly a Nation, and a people without justice can never be fully free.  We renew our duty to uphold the rule of law, secure our borders, and deliver accountability for every American killed by illegal aliens and for every Angel Family forced to carry the unimaginable loss.  We will never forget the victims, we stand with the families who endure this permanent hole in their lives, and we will never stop fighting to protect our people and our homeland.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 22, 2026, as National Angel Family Day.  I call on the American people to assemble in their respective places of worship to pay homage to the victims killed by illegal aliens and to those taken by the fentanyl epidemic, and lift up the Angel Families and families devastated by drug overdoses.  I further call upon public officials, community leaders, and all citizens to end the violence and lawlessness that have claimed so many innocent lives.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.

                             DONALD J. TRUMP

Source: United States White House

class=”has-text-align-center”>BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

1. The United States plays a pivotal role in shaping the global economy. At the same time, the United States faces various threats to its own economy and national interests. Sometimes, the United States faces fundamental international payments problems, such as large and serious balance-of-payments deficits, an imminent and significant depreciation of its currency in foreign exchange markets, or an international balance-of-payments disequilibrium. These problems can, among other things, endanger the ability of the United States to finance its spending, erode investor confidence in the economy, and distress the financial markets.
2. Special import measures to restrict imports, such as surcharges and quotas, are key tools to protect the economy and national security of the United States, and, in certain circumstances, they are required to deal with fundamental international payments problems.
3. Given the gravity of fundamental international payments problems and the importance of import restrictions as economic, national security, and foreign policy tools, Federal law, including section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2132) (section 122), empowers the President to take action through surcharges and other special import restrictions to address fundamental international payments problems.
4. I have received certain requested information and opinions from senior officials on whether any fundamental international payments problems exist and the extent to which such problems could impair United States national interests, including economic and national security interests. The information and opinions discuss, among other things, the state of the balance of payments of the United States, the standing of the United States dollar in foreign exchange markets, and the state of international balances of payments. I have also received opinions and recommendations from senior officials on whether special import measures to restrict imports are required to address any fundamental international payments problems. These opinions address, among other things, whether a surcharge in the form of ad valorem duties is required to restrict imports to deal with large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits, to prevent an imminent and significant depreciation of the United States dollar in foreign exchange markets, or to cooperate with other countries in correcting an international balance-of-payments disequilibrium.
5. These senior officials have informed me that fundamental international payments problems within the meaning of section 122 exist and that special import measures to restrict imports are required to address these problems. Specifically, my advisors have determined that an import surcharge in the form of ad valorem duties is required to deal with large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits. My advisors have also opined that certain products should not be subject to the surcharge because of the needs of the United States economy and that the recommended exceptions are consistent with the limitations of section 122, the purposes of section 122, and the national interest of the United States.
6. Among other things, I have been informed by my advisors that the United States balance-of-payments position, under any reasonable understanding of the term in the context of section 122, is currently a large and serious deficit. My advisors have studied different methods of evaluating balance-of-payments deficits, including calculations based on current-account statistics. In my advisors’ opinions, under any of these methods, the United States balance-of-payments position is a large and serious deficit.
7. For instance, my advisors have informed me that the United States runs a deficit in selling goods and services overseas, as reported by the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) in the “balance on goods and services”; has recently reflected quarterly deficits in its return on investment or labor, as reported by the BEA in the “balance on primary income”; and runs a deficit in voluntary transfers, such as remittances, as reported by the BEA in the “balance on secondary income.” In other words, the United States runs a trade deficit, does not currently make a net income from the capital and labor that it deploys abroad, and experiences more transfer payments, on net, flowing out of the country than into the country.
8. As my advisors have informed me, the United States runs a substantial trade deficit. The large, persistent, and serious annual United States goods trade deficit has grown by over 40 percent in the past 5 years alone, reaching $1.2 trillion in 2024. In 2025, the United States goods trade deficit remained at approximately $1.2 trillion. The effects of this deficit are serious, and this deficit contributes to the fundamental international payments problems facing the United States.
9. As my advisors have also informed me, the annual balance on the United States primary income turned negative for the first time since at least 1960 in 2024. From 1960 to 2023, the United States ran a surplus in its annual balance on primary income. That positive balance on primary income served as a stabilizing force for the United States balance-of-payments position even in the face of large and persistent trade deficits. In 2024, however, the balance on primary income turned negative and thus ceased to serve as a counterweight to the trade deficit in the United States current account. Indeed, in 2024, the United States maintained a current account deficit of 4.0 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), almost double the current account deficit of approximately 2.0 percent that prevailed between 2013 and 2019, and larger than that which prevailed from 2019 to 2023. As a share of GDP, the staggering deficit of 4.0 percent represented the biggest annual current account deficit since 2008.
10. As my advisors have also informed me, the net international-investment position of the United States is in an ongoing decline. According to the BEA, at the end of 2024, the net international-investment position of the United States, as a share of GDP, was negative 90 percent, a sharp deterioration from the average of negative 41 percent in the decade between 2010 and 2020. In my advisors’ view, this is a highly atypical position for a country, particularly the United States. Indeed, both in terms of United States dollars and as a share of GDP, this represents one of the most negative net international-investment positions of any developed country. Because the current account is one of the primary drivers of changes in the net international-investment position, the atypically large negative net international-investment position of the United States shows that the United States balance-of-payments deficit is large and serious.
11. Further, as my advisors have informed me, the balance on secondary income of the United States has been persistently in a deficit since the 1960s.
12. According to my advisors, an import surcharge in the form of ad valorem duties is required to address these fundamental international payments problems. In my advisors’ opinions, imposing an import surcharge would deal with the large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficit. My advisors have further recommended that certain products should not be subject to the surcharge because of the needs of the United States economy and have opined that a surcharge with certain exceptions would more effectively deal with the balance-of-payments deficit than would a surcharge without the exceptions.
13. After considering the information, opinions, and recommendations that have been provided to me by senior officials, among other relevant information and considerations, I find that fundamental international payments problems within the meaning of section 122 exist; that those problems significantly harm United States national interests, including economic and national security interests; and that special measures to restrict imports are required to address those problems, as authorized by section 122. Specifically, 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. 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.
14. Because of the needs of the United States economy, I determine that the surcharge imposed in this proclamation shall not apply to the following products, as further detailed in Annexes I and II to this proclamation:
    (a) certain critical minerals;
    (b) metals used in currency and bullion;
    (c) energy and energy products;
    (d) natural resources and fertilizers that cannot be grown, mined, or otherwise produced in the United States or grown, mined, or otherwise produced in sufficient quantities to meet domestic demand;
    (e) certain agricultural products, including beef, tomatoes, and oranges;
    (f) pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients;
    (g) certain electronics;
    (h) passenger vehicles, certain light trucks, certain medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, buses, and certain parts of passenger vehicles, light trucks, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, and buses;
    (i) certain aerospace products;
    (j) information materials, donations, and accompanied baggage;
    (k) all articles and parts of articles currently or that later become subject to additional import restrictions imposed pursuant to section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1862) (section 232);
    (l) articles that are entered free of duty as a good of Canada or Mexico under the terms of general note 11 to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), including any treatment set forth in subchapter XXIII of chapter 98 and subchapter XXII of chapter 99 of the HTSUS, as related to the Agreement between the United States of America, United Mexican States, and Canada; and
    (m) textile and apparel articles that are entered free of duty as a good of Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, or Nicaragua under the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement.
15. I find that each exception described in paragraph 14 of this proclamation — in whole or in part, separately or in any combination — is consistent with the limitations of section 122. These exceptions, which are further detailed in Annexes I and II to this proclamation, reflect my determination that each product covered by each exception should not be subject to a surcharge because of (1) the unavailability of domestic supply at reasonable prices, the necessary importation of raw materials, the avoidance of serious dislocations in the supply of imported goods, or other similar factors; or (2) the fact that the surcharge would be unnecessary or ineffective in carrying out the purposes of section 122, such as with respect to articles already subject to import restrictions or goods in transit, which — for purposes of this proclamation — are goods that (i) were loaded onto a vessel at the port of loading and in transit on the final mode of transit prior to entry into the United States, before 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on February 24, 2026; and (ii) are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, before 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, February 28, 2026. I have determined that each exception described in paragraph 14 of this proclamation — in whole or in part, separately or in any combination — is consistent with the purposes of section 122 and will best serve the purposes of section 122. Each of my determinations to except an import from the surcharge imposed in this proclamation is independent from the other. The import-restricting action and the exceptions in this proclamation are not made for the purpose of protecting individual domestic industries from import competition.
16. In my judgment, the surcharge imposed in this proclamation is consistent with the purposes of section 122, the national interest of the United States, and the needs of the economy of the United States. Restricting imports through the surcharge imposed in this proclamation is required to address the fundamental international payments problems within the meaning of section 122 that I have found to exist. The surcharge imposed in this proclamation will deal with the large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficit.
17. Section 122 authorizes the President to impose, for a period not exceeding 150 days unless extended by an Act of the Congress, a temporary import surcharge up to 15 percent ad valorem and other temporary limitations on articles imported into the United States in situations of fundamental international payments problems.
18. Section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483) (section 604), authorizes the President to embody in the HTSUS the substance of statutes affecting import treatment, and actions thereunder, including the removal, modification, continuance, or imposition of any rate of duty or other import restriction.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 122, section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and section 604, do hereby proclaim as follows:
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this proclamation, as set forth in Annexes I and II to this proclamation, all articles imported into the United States shall be subject to a 10 percent ad valorem duty rate.
(2) The surcharge imposed in this proclamation shall not apply to imports of articles listed in paragraph 2 of Annex I to this proclamation and as enumerated in Annex II to this proclamation.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this proclamation, the surcharge imposed in this proclamation is in addition to any other duties, taxes, fees, exactions, and charges applicable to such products.
(4) The surcharge imposed in this proclamation shall not apply in addition to tariffs imposed under section 232. To the extent a tariff imposed under section 232 applies to part of an import, the surcharge imposed in this proclamation shall apply to the part of the import to which section 232 tariffs do not apply but shall not apply to the part of the import to which section 232 tariffs do apply.
(5) The surcharge imposed in this proclamation shall be treated as a regular customs duty.
(6) Any article subject to the surcharge imposed in this proclamation, except those articles eligible for admission under “domestic status” as described in 19 CFR 146.43, that is subject to the surcharge imposed in this proclamation and that is admitted into a United States foreign trade zone on or after the effective date of this proclamation must be admitted as “privileged foreign status,” as described in 19 CFR 146.41, and will be subject upon entry for consumption to any ad valorem rate of duty related to the classification under the applicable HTSUS subheading.
(7) The HTSUS shall be modified as provided in Annex I to this proclamation. The modifications shall be effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on February 24, 2026, and shall continue in effect through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on July 24, 2026, unless the surcharge imposed in this proclamation is expressly suspended, modified, or terminated on an earlier date, or unless the effective period of such surcharge is extended by an Act of the Congress.
(8) The head of each executive department and agency (agency) is authorized to and shall take all appropriate measures within the agency’s authority to implement this proclamation. The head of each agency may, consistent with applicable law, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, redelegate the authority to take such appropriate measures within the agency.
(9) The United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative), in consultation with any senior official he deems appropriate, shall monitor and review the status of conditions related to the fundamental international payments problems of the United States, the effect of the surcharge imposed in this proclamation, and any factors he deems relevant. The Trade Representative shall also inform the President of any circumstance that, in the Trade Representative’s opinion, might indicate the need for further action by the President, including under section 122. And the Trade Representative shall inform the President of any circumstance that, in the Trade Representative’s opinion, might indicate that the surcharge imposed in this proclamation should be suspended, modified, or terminated.
(10) The Trade Representative, in consultation with the Chair of the United States International Trade Commission and the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), shall determine whether any additional modifications to the HTSUS are necessary to effectuate this proclamation and shall make such modifications to the HTSUS through notice in the Federal Register, including any technical correction to Annexes I and II to this proclamation.
(11) The Commissioner of CBP may take any necessary or appropriate measures to administer the surcharge imposed by this proclamation.
(12) (a) Any provision of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that is inconsistent with this proclamation is superseded to the extent of such inconsistency. If any provision of this proclamation or the application of any provision to any individual or circumstance is held to be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and the application of its provisions to any other individuals or circumstances shall not be affected.
(b) If any exception to the surcharge imposed in this proclamation is held to be invalid in whole or in part, only that exception or that part of the exception shall be treated as invalid. The surcharge imposed in this proclamation shall apply to imports to which the invalidated exception or the invalidated part of the exception applied before its invalidation, but to the extent consistent with law, the surcharge shall be collected only prospectively from the date of the invalidation. No other exception, part of an exception, or application of an exception shall be treated as invalid. This severability provision shall operate even if the surcharge must be applied retroactively to imports to which the invalidated exception or the invalidated part of the exception applied before its invalidation. I would adopt each exception in this proclamation in whole or in part, separately, or in any combination. Each exception, in whole or in part, in this proclamation is supported by the needs of the United States economy and one or more of the factors described in section 122 and is consistent with the national interest of the United States and the purposes of section 122.
(c) This severability provision reflects my determination that the surcharge imposed in this proclamation should remain operative until July 24, 2026, in a way that is consistent with law, including the limitations of section 122, to deal with the large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits found in this proclamation, regardless of whether any exception or exceptions, in whole or in part, are invalidated. The surcharge imposed in this proclamation — with any combination of the exceptions in paragraph 14 of this proclamation, or even without any of the exceptions in paragraph 14 of this proclamation — is required to deal with the large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits found in this proclamation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.

LINK TO ANNEX
LINK TO ANNEX 2

DONALD J. TRUMP

Source: United States White House

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1.  Background.  In several Executive Orders, including Executive Order 14193 of February 1, 2025 (Imposing Duties To Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs Across Our Northern Border), as amended; Executive Order 14194 of February 1, 2025 (Imposing Duties To Address the Situation at Our Southern Border), as amended; Executive Order 14195 of February 1, 2025 (Imposing Duties To Address the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China), as amended; Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025 (Regulating Imports With a Reciprocal Tariff To Rectify Trade Practices That Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits), as amended; and Executive Order 14324 of July 30, 2025 (Suspending Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries), I declared or described national emergencies with respect to unusual and extraordinary threats to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States and took action to deal with those threats, including suspending duty-free de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) for certain imports.

As relevant here, in section 3 of Executive Order 14324, I set forth the duty rates applicable to shipments sent to the United States through the international postal network that would otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C).  These duty rates were based on the additional duty rates imposed by Executive Orders issued under IEEPA, including Executive Order 14193, as amended; Executive Order 14194, as amended; Executive Order 14195, as amended; and Executive Order 14257, as amended.

In section 6 of Executive Order 14324, I made clear that the suspension of, or continued suspension of, duty-free de minimis treatment, as detailed in Executive Order 14324, shall not be affected if the additional duties imposed under Executive Order 14193, as amended; Executive Order 14194, as amended; Executive Order 14195, as amended; or Executive Order 14257, as amended, were held to be invalid.  I also provided that — should such invalidation occur — duty-free de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) would be available for shipments sent through the international postal network only until I received a notification from the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) that adequate systems were in place to fully and expeditiously process and collect duties applicable to such shipments. 

Since the issuance of Executive Order 14324, the conditions outlined in section 6 of Executive Order 14324 have occurred.  Also since the issuance of Executive Order 14324, the Secretary has notified me that adequate systems are now in place to collect certain duties applicable to shipments sent through the international postal network that would otherwise be eligible for duty-free de minimis treatment.  I also have received additional information and recommendations from various senior officials regarding the suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment.

After considering the information and recommendations these officials have provided to me, among other things, I have determined that it is still necessary and appropriate to suspend duty-free de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C), including for shipments sent through the international postal network.  U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall collect duties on shipments sent through the international postal network in accordance with Executive Order 14324, as amended below.  CBP shall also continue to take all appropriate action to collect all applicable duties, taxes, fees, exactions, and charges for shipments not sent through the international postal network.  In my judgment, these actions are necessary and appropriate to deal with the national emergencies declared in Executive Order 14193, Executive Order 14194, Executive Order 14195, and Executive Order 14257.  Each determination is independent of the other and is made only for the purpose of dealing with the respective emergency and not for the purpose of dealing with another emergency.

Sec. 2.  Continuing the Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment.  Section 2 of Executive Order 14324 is revised to read as follows:

“(a)  The duty-free de minimis exemption provided under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) shall not apply to any shipment of articles not covered by 50 U.S.C. 1702(b), regardless of value, country of origin, mode of transportation, or method of entry.  Accordingly, all such shipments, except those sent through the international postal network, shall be subject to all applicable duties, taxes, fees, exactions, and charges.  International postal shipments not covered by 50 U.S.C. 1702(b) shall be subject to the duty rates described in section 3 of this order. Entry for all shipments that, prior to the effective date of this order, qualified for the de minimis exemption, shall be filed using an appropriate entry type in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) by a party qualified to make such entry — except for shipments sent through the international postal network, which shall be dutiable in accordance with section 3 of this order.

(b)  Shipments sent through the international postal network that would otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) shall pass free of any duties except those specified in section 3 of this order, and without the preparation of an entry by CBP, until the effective date for the new entry process for postal shipments established by CBP and published in the Federal Register.“

Sec. 3.  Duty Rates for International Postal Shipments.  Section 3 of Executive Order 14324 is revised to read as follows:

“(a)  Transportation carriers delivering shipments sent to the United States through the international postal network, or other parties if qualified in lieu of such transportation carriers, as approved by CBP, must collect and remit duties to CBP using the methodology described in subsection (b) of this section.  Each transportation carrier or other qualified party shall remit duty payment to CBP in accordance with CBP guidance on the requirements and process for remittance.

(b)  A duty equal to the rate provided in the Proclamation of February 20, 2026 (Imposing a Temporary Import Surcharge to Address Fundamental International Payments Problems), shall be assessed on the value of each dutiable postal item containing goods entered for consumption.  This duty rate shall be assessed until the expiration date of the temporary import surcharge established by the Proclamation of February 20, 2026, or until the effective date of the new entry process for postal shipments established by CBP, whichever date occurs first.

(c)  For all international postal shipments subject to the duty rate in the Proclamation of February 20, 2026, in accordance with subsection (b) of this section, the country of origin of the article and its value must be declared to CBP.

(d)  Shipments sent through the international postal network that are subject to antidumping and countervailing duties or a quota must continue to be entered under an appropriate entry type in ACE to the extent required by all applicable regulations.”

Sec. 4.  Further Revisions.  Executive Order 14324 is further revised by striking section 5 and renumbering sections 6 and 7 as 5 and 6, respectively.

Sec. 5.  Implementation.  (a)  The modifications to Executive Order 14324 in this order shall be effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on February 24, 2026.  Additionally, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States shall be modified as provided in the Annex to this order.

(b)  Consistent with applicable law, the Secretary of Homeland Security is directed and authorized to take all necessary actions to implement and effectuate this order –including through temporary suspension or amendment of regulations or through notices in the Federal Register and by adopting rules, regulations, or guidance.  The Secretary of Homeland Security may continue to employ all powers that were previously authorized in Executive Order 14324 as may be necessary to implement and effectuate this order.

Sec. 6.  Effect on Prior Actions and Severability.  Any provision of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that is inconsistent with this order is superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.  If any provision of this order or the application of any provision of this order to any individual or circumstance is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other individuals or circumstances shall not be affected.

Sec. 7.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(d)  The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of Homeland Security.

                             DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    February 20, 2026.

Source: United States White House

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1.  Background.  In Executive Order 14193 of February 1, 2025 (Imposing Duties To Address the Flow of Illicit Drugs Across Our Northern Border), as amended; Executive Order 14194 of February 1, 2025 (Imposing Duties To Address the Situation at Our Southern Border), as amended; Executive Order 14195 of February 1, 2025 (Imposing Duties To Address the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China), as amended; Executive Order 14245 of March 24, 2025 (Imposing Tariffs on Countries Importing Venezuelan Oil); Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025 (Regulating Imports With a Reciprocal Tariff To Rectify Trade Practices That Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits), as amended; Executive Order 14323 of July 30, 2025 (Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Brazil), as amended; Executive Order 14329 of August 6, 2025 (Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of the Russian Federation), as amended; Executive Order 14380 of January 29, 2026 (Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Cuba); and Executive Order 14382 of February 6, 2026 (Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of Iran), I declared or described national emergencies with respect to unusual and extraordinary threats to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States and took actions to deal with those threats, including by imposing, pursuant to IEEPA, additional ad valorem duties on certain imports of certain foreign trading partners.

In light of recent events, the additional ad valorem duties imposed pursuant to IEEPA in Executive Order 14193, as amended; Executive Order 14194, as amended; Executive Order 14195, as amended; Executive Order 14245; Executive Order 14257, as amended; Executive Order 14323, as amended; Executive Order 14329, as amended; Executive Order 14380; and Executive Order 14382 shall no longer be in effect and, as soon as practicable, shall no longer be collected.  All other actions, including any other action taken to address the national emergencies declared or described in Executive Order 14193, Executive Order 14194, Executive Order 14195, Executive Order 14245, Executive Order 14257, Executive Order 14323, Executive Order 14329, Executive Order 14380, and Executive Order 14382, that do not impose additional ad valorem duties under IEEPA or involve steps necessary to implement the imposition of additional ad valorem duties imposed under IEEPA shall not be affected by this order.  The national emergencies declared or described in Executive Order 14193, Executive Order 14194, Executive Order 14195, Executive Order 14245, Executive Order 14257, Executive Order 14323, Executive Order 14329, Executive Order 14380, and Executive Order 14382 or subsequent orders remain in effect and shall not be affected by this order.

Sec. 2.  Implementation.  (a)  To effectuate the terminations of the actions described in section 1 of this order, the head of each executive department and agency (agency) is authorized to and shall take all appropriate steps to end the additional ad valorem duties imposed under IEEPA in Executive Order 14193, as amended; Executive Order 14194, as amended; Executive Order 14195, as amended; Executive Order 14245; Executive Order 14257, as amended; Executive Order 14323, as amended; Executive Order 14329, as amended; Executive Order 14380; and Executive Order 14382.  The head of each agency shall immediately begin taking steps to effectuate this order and, as soon as practicable, terminate the collection of the additional ad valorem duties described in section 1 of this order.  The head of each agency may, consistent with applicable law, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, redelegate the authority to take such appropriate steps within the agency.

(b)  The Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the United States Trade Representative, as appropriate and in consultation with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Chair of the United States International Trade Commission, and any other senior official they deem appropriate, shall determine whether modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States are necessary to effectuate this order and may make such modifications through notice in the Federal Register.

(c)  The Executive Order of February 20, 2026 (Continuing the Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries), and the Proclamation of February 20, 2026 (Imposing a Temporary Import Surcharge to Address Fundamental International Payments Problems), are unaffected by this order.

(d)  This order affects only the additional ad valorem duties imposed under IEEPA pursuant to the Executive Orders described in section 1 of this order.  This order does not affect any other duties, including duties imposed under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1862, and section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 2411.

Sec. 3.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(d)  The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of Homeland Security.

                            DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    February 20, 2026.

Source: United States White House

PROTECTING THE U.S. ECONOMY AND NATIONAL INTERESTS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation imposing a temporary import duty to address fundamental international payments problems and continue the Administration’s work to rebalance our trade relationships to benefit American workers, farmers, and manufacturers.

• President Trump is invoking his authority under section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which empowers the President to address certain fundamental international payment problems through surcharges and other special import restrictions.
  • By taking this action, the United States can stem the outflow of its dollars to foreign producers and incentivize the return of domestic production. By increasing its domestic production, the United States can correct its balance-of-payments deficit, while also creating good paying jobs, and lowering costs for consumers.
• The Proclamation imposes, for a period of 150 days, a 10% ad valorem import duty on articles imported into the United States.
  • The temporary import duty will take effect February 24 at 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time.
• Some goods will not be subject to the temporary import duty because of the needs of the U.S. economy or in order to ensure the duty more effectively addresses the fundamental international payments problems facing the United States, including:
  • certain critical minerals, metals used in currency and bullion, energy, and energy products;
  • natural resources and fertilizers that cannot be grown, mined, or otherwise produced in the United States or grown, mined, or otherwise produced in sufficient quantities to meet domestic demand;
  • certain agricultural products, including beef, tomatoes, and oranges;
  • pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients;
  • certain electronics;
  • passenger vehicles, certain light trucks, certain medium and heavy-duty vehicles, buses, and certain parts of passenger vehicles, light trucks, heavy-duty vehicles, and buses;
  • certain aerospace products; and
  • informational materials (e.g., books), donations, and accompanied baggage.
• In addition, the following goods will not be subject to the temporary import duty:
  • all articles and parts of articles that currently are or later become subject to section 232 actions;
  • USMCA compliant goods of Canada and Mexico; and
  • textiles and apparel articles that enter duty-free as a good of Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, or Nicaragua under the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement.
• In a separate Executive Order, President Trump also reaffirmed and continued the suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value shipments, including goods shipped through the international postal system, which will also be subject to the temporary import duty imposed under section 122.
• In addition to today’s actions, the President has directed the Office of the United States Trade Representative to use its section 301 authority to investigate certain unreasonable and discriminatory acts, policies, and practices that burden or restrict U.S. commerce.

ADDRESSING FUNDAMENTAL INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT PROBLEMS: The United States faces fundamental international payment problems, in particular a large and serious balance-of-payments deficit.

• As a result of its loss of domestic production, the United States must import much of what it consumes, sending U.S. dollars out of our own economy and overseas.
• A measurement for the U.S. balance-of-payments is the current account, which tracks the three ways a country can make money: (1) selling goods and services overseas, or the “trade balance of goods and services”; (2) return on investment or labor, or the “balance on primary income”; and (3) voluntary transfers, like remittances, or the “balance on secondary income.”
• The United States not only runs an overall current account deficit, but also a deficit in each component of the current account.
  • The annual U.S. goods trade deficit exploded by over 40% during the Biden Administration, reaching $1.2 trillion in 2024.
  • In 2024, for the first time in more than 60 years, the United States made less on the capital and labor it deployed abroad than foreigners made on the capital and labor they deployed in the United States.
  • At present, more money is transferred out of the United States through remittances than money is transferred in.
• The situation is getting worse.
  • In 2024, the United States maintained a current account deficit of -4.0% of gross domestic product (GDP), almost double the current account deficit of approximately -2.0% that prevailed between 2013 and 2019, and larger than 2019 to 2024.
  • As a share of GDP, the 2024 current account deficit represented the biggest annual current account deficit since 2008.
• Compounding these challenges is the decline in the U.S. net international investment position.
  • At the end of 2024, the U.S. net international investment position was $26 trillion, which was 89% of U.S. GDP. This means that if all of the obligations to foreigners that the United States has incurred were to come due today, and even if all of the foreign assets that the U.S. owns could be instantly deployed as payment, the United States would still end up needing to make payments equal to 89% of its annual economic output in order to meet its obligations. This represents the most negative net international investment position of any country on Earth.
• If left unaddressed, these fundamental international payment problems can, among other things, endanger the ability of the United States to finance its spending, erode investor confidence in the economy, distress the financial markets, and endanger U.S. economic and national security. 

CONTINUING TO UTILIZE TARIFFS TO PROTECT U.S. INTERESTS: Tariffs will continue to be a critical tool in President Trump’s toolbox for protecting American businesses and workers, reshoring domestic production, lowering costs, and raising wages.

• The Supreme Court’s disappointing decision today will not deter the President’s effort to reshape the long-distorted global trading system that has undermined the economic and national security of our country, and contributed to fundamental international payment problems.
• Since Day One, President Trump has challenged the assumption that the United States must tolerate the distorted and imbalanced global trading system.
• The President’s trade policy brought the world to the negotiating table on our terms.
  • As a result of the President’s tariffs, major U.S. trading partners covering more than half of global GDP have agreed to historic trade and investment deals to open new markets for U.S. exports, promote manufacturing reshoring, and bring reciprocity and balance to our trade relations.
  • These deals are creating high-paying American jobs, boosting U.S. manufacturing and technological leadership, and will deliver massive returns for American workers and families for decades to come.
  • In particular, the United States will continue to honor its legally binding Agreements on Reciprocal Trade. The United States expects the same commitment from its trading partners. While the domestic legal authorities to impose future tariffs will change, the overall direction of travel for the United States—reshoring domestic production and expanding market access abroad through a combination of tariffs and deals—will not.
• Today’s action will continue to protect the national interests of the United States by addressing the balance-of-payments deficit to further usher in America’s Golden Age.

Source: United States White House

ockquote class=”wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow” readability=”15″>

“Today’s GDP report showed that President Trump continues to deliver robust private sector-led economic growth with strong consumption and investment. Even with the Democrat Government Shutdown dragging the country down last fall, GDP growth for 2025 smashed the Federal Reserve, Congressional Budget Office, and International Monetary Fund’s ‘expert’ predictions. As President Trump’s proven agenda of tax cuts, deregulation, tariffs, and energy abundance continues taking effect and as trillions in investments continue pouring in, America’s economic comeback is set to only accelerate in 2026.” — White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai

President Donald J. Trump was right again: Democrats’ reckless 43-day shutdown deliberately blunted our economic momentum last year and cost the American people meaningful growth. Yet even with Democrats’ self-inflicted economic harm, today’s GDP report shows robust growth in 2025, fueled by surging business investment, private-sector job creation, and strong wage gains that surpassed economists’ expectations — with President Trump’s America First agenda poised to surge even higher in 2026.

For months, the Trump Administration repeatedly warned about the damage the Democrat Shutdown would cause:

Council of Economic Advisers (10/1/25): “CEA analysis indicates that the shutdown may have wide-ranging economic effects that reduce American prospects through lower growth… These effects will intensify the longer the shutdown lasts.”

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent (10/2/25): “This isn’t the way to have a discussion, shutting down the government and lowering the GDP… We could see a hit to the GDP, a hit to growth, and a hit to working America.”

The White House (10/3/25): All 50 States Will See Devastating Economic Hit in Democrat Shutdown

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett (10/5/25): “It’s just commonsense to avoid layoffs like that, to avoid the $15 billion a week that the Council of Economic Advisers says will harm GDP.”

Secretary Bessent (11/9/25): “There are estimates that the economy — economic growth for this quarter — could be cut by as much as half.”

Director Hassett (11/9/25): “Goldman Sachs — they have a top economic team — and they’re estimating that we’ve already knocked about 1.5% off of GDP. I think that number is probably low if we keep going…”

Secretary Bessent (12/16/25): “They were unable to stop President Trump. They tried to stop him in the courts. They tried to stop in the media. Then they went to the extreme — we had the longest government shutdown in history. It was a hit to GDP.”

President Trump (12/29/25): “Had the shutdown not occurred, we would’ve had an extra point and a quarter.”

President Trump (1/13/26): “That’s despite the Democrat Shutdown, where we lost at least one-and-a-half points.”

President Trump (1/29/26): “Without the shutdown, we would have picked up about a point and a half more…”

President Trump (2/2/26): “We lost a point and a half because of the 43-day shutdown.”

President Trump (2/8/26): We had a [43-day] shutdown. I call it the ‘Democrat Shutdown,’ and because of that, I lost a point-and-a-half.”

It wasn’t just the Trump Administration sounding the alarm. Outside economists and other voices confirmed the Democrat Shutdown’s toll on growth:

CNN’s Matt Egan (9/29/25): “The rule of thumb is that each week of a government shutdown trims about 0.2 percentage points from gross domestic product (GDP) – or economic growth.”

Congressional Budget Office (10/29/25): “The agency estimates that real gross domestic product (GDP), which has been adjusted to remove the effects of inflation, will be lower in the fourth quarter of 2025 than it would have been in the absence of a shutdown. Depending on its length, the government shutdown will reduce annualized real GDP growth in that quarter by 1.0 to 2.0 percentage points.”

Goldman Sachs (11/2/25): “Assuming the shutdown lasts roughly six weeks, we expect it to reduce quarter-on-quarter annualized real GDP growth in 4Q2025 by 1.15pp…”

EY-Parthenon (11/7/25): “If it extends for two months — with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit disruptions and air-travel reductions — the cumulative drag could reach 1.8–2.0ppt, a material hit even after partial recovery once operations resume.”

Source: United States White House

class=”has-text-align-center”>ONDCP Leads Collaboration Between Representatives from the Social Media Industry, DOS, HHS, DEA, HUD, HSI, USPIS and ATF.

On Wednesday, February 18th, Drug Czar Sara Carter brought together Trump Administration officials and representatives from social media companies, including Meta, TikTok, X, YouTube, and Internet Works, for a roundtable focused on ending the sale of illicit drugs via social media platforms. In a rapidly evolving digital age, drug dealers and traffickers abuse platforms that are meant to foster connection—even to the point of targeting children. The roundtable participants provided their perspectives on best practices for keeping children safe from drug traffickers who seek to exploit them online.

“Throughout my career, I have spoken to countless families who lost a child or loved one to drugs purchased through social media,” said Director Carter. “In many of these cases, the victim thought they were purchasing a safe pill, which actually contained a lethal dose of illicit fentanyl.In order to prevent this senseless loss of life, ONDCP will need full-scale cooperation from social media companies, law enforcement, and the whole-of-government. Most importantly, we as parents need to educate our children about the dangers of drugs and monitor their social media use to protect them from those who seek to do irreparable harm.”

The participants committed to enhance coordination between law enforcement and social media companies in the digital drug trafficking space to prevent illicit drug activity and the abuse of social media platforms.

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy | WhiteHouse.gov/ONDCP | @ONDCP 

Source: United States White House

WASHINGTON – Today at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, the United States laid out its bold vision for empowering global allies with cutting-edge and sovereign AI technologies. 

Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Michael Kratsios led the U.S. delegation to the Summit, joined by Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg, Under Secretary of Commerce William Kimmitt, and Ambassador Sergio Gor, alongside global heads of state, foreign ministers, and business leaders.

Director Kratsios gave remarks on America’s AI leadership and international AI adoption, the rejection of global governance for the pursuit of real AI sovereignty, and the opportunity of nations to join the U.S. as partners to build the AI future for their peoples with components of the American AI stack.

“Real AI sovereignty means owning and using best-in-class technology for the benefit of your people, and charting your national destiny in the midst of global transformations.” Director Kratsios said. He urged nations to focus on strategic autonomy alongside rapid AI adoption rather than aiming for full self-sufficiency. 

“We believe that independent partners are critical to unlocking the prosperity AI adoption can open to all of us. That is why the President launched the American AI Exports Program.” Working with the American AI stack means nations can build on top of the best technologies in the world and keep sensitive data within their borders.

He also called for firmly rejecting attempts at global governance of AI.“We believe AI adoption cannot lead to a brighter future if it is subject to bureaucracies and centralized control.”

The Director spoke in his remarks to the growing chasm on AI adoption between developed and developing economies. “The pace of adoption and sophistication of deployment continues to stratify. Developing countries are falling behind developed economies at a fundamental inflection point,” he said. He urged developing countries to prioritize the adoption of AI technologies especially across health care, education, energy infrastructure, agriculture, and citizen-facing government services to deliver concrete benefits for their respective peoples.

Finally, Director Kratsios unveiled new U.S. initiatives to accelerate global adoption of the American AI stack through the American AI Exports Program, including:

• The American AI Exports Program’s National Champions Initiative: The Commerce Department will incorporate partner nations’ leading AI companies into their customized American AI Export stacks, demonstrating that American technology directly strengthens and builds domestic AI capabilities.
• The U.S. Tech Corps: A new initiative of the Peace Corps, the U.S. Tech Corps will provide volunteer technical talent with import partners to provide last-mile support in deploying powerful AI applications for enhanced public services.
• New International Financing: The Treasury Department is launching a new fund at the World Bank to help countries overcome AI adoption barriers, in addition to new financing programs launched at the Export-Import Bank, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the State Department, and the Small Business Administration.
• NIST/CAISI’s AI Agent Standards Initiative: The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced it will facilitate the development of interoperable and secure standards for agentic AI, giving the public confidence in this next-generation technology.

As the Trump Administration unveils a whole-of-government strategy to promote American AI exports, it brings to the India AI Impact Summit a clear message: American AI is the gold standard, and we are sharing it with our partners to secure our shared future.