Malaysia-US tariff deal in doubt after trade minister 'misspeaks'
Mar 18th 2026
Malaysia's much promoted tariff pact with the United States is under scrutiny after a trade minister said a US Supreme Court decision voided the deal, then his ministry corrected him and offered no further clarification.
- Malaysia signed the tariff agreement with the United States in October, promising about US$240 billion in investments and purchases and continued market access at a 19 percent tariff rate.
- A February US Supreme Court ruling found President Donald Trump acted unconstitutionally by using emergency powers to impose the so called Liberation Day tariffs.
- On Sunday Trade Minister Johari Abdul Ghani told reporters the court ruling had rendered the deal null and void.
- The trade ministry later said the minister had "misspoken" and gave no further explanation about the pact's status.
- No clear official update has been provided on whether the agreement remains in force after the correction.
Articles
- Why tariffs aren’t the biggest factor holding back US-Asean trade www.scmp.com
- US trade probes risk alienating Asean, casting doubt on future of deals www.scmp.com
- Fate of US-Malaysia trade pact rests on Washington’s next move www.scmp.com
- Confusion over Malaysia-US trade deal as ‘null and void’ claim retracted www.scmp.com