US ozone pollution responds to varying global-to-regional precursor emissions and climate, with implications for designing effective air quality control policies. Asian anthropogenic emissions of ozone precursors tripled since 1990, contributing 65 % to western US ozone increases in spring, outpacing ozone decreases attained via 50 % US emission controls. In the eastern US, if emissions had not declined, more frequent hot extremes since 1990 would have worsened the highest ozone events in summer.