Tariff war: US average duty hits 20.1%, highest since 1910s; WTO & IMF warn of global trade rollback

The US average tariff rate has surged to 20.1%, marking its highest sustained level since the 1910s, driven by President Trump's pursuit of "reciprocal" trade. This increase, particularly targeting Chinese goods, reverses decades of trade liberalization. Trump defends the tariffs, citing positive impacts on the stock market and national revenue, while warning against judicial reversals that could trigger economic collapse.