Trump Slams Supreme Court Tariff Ruling as 'Disgrace,' Announces New 10% Global Tariff Under Section 122
United States President Donald Trump on Friday lashed out at the US Supreme Court after it ruled 6–3 that he exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by imposing sweeping tariffs, calling the decision “a disgrace” and announcing plans to pursue alternative legal routes to expand import duties.
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| File Photo of POTUS Trump; Via: The Kobeissi Times |
He argued that the ruling effectively confirmed his authority to regulate trade and impose tariffs under other statutes, citing Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s dissent, which noted that “numerous other federal statutes authorize the President to impose tariffs and might justify most (if not all) of the tariffs issued in this case,” including Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, Sections 122, 201 and 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, and Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
“Thank you Justice Kavanaugh!” Trump wrote, adding that the Court “did not overrule TARIFFS, they merely overruled a particular use of IEEPA TARIFFS.” He said the decision had “made a President’s ability to both regulate Trade, and impose TARIFFS, more powerful and crystal clear, rather than less,” and asserted that other tariff authorities “have also been confirmed, and fully allowed.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling held that IEEPA’s grant of authority to “regulate … importation” does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that tariffs are “very clear[ly] … a branch of the taxing power,” which the Constitution assigns to Congress, and that the President must identify “clear congressional authorization” to exercise such power.
The Court noted that IEEPA contains no reference to “tariffs” or “duties,” and rejected the administration’s reading of the statute as permitting tariffs “of unlimited amount and duration.”
In his posts, Trump said that “effective immediately, all National Security TARIFFS, Section 232 and existing Section 301 TARIFFS, remain in place, and in full force and effect.”
He announced that he would sign an order to impose a “10% GLOBAL TARIFF, under Section 122,” in addition to tariffs already in effect, and said his administration was initiating several Section 301 and other investigations “to protect our Country from unfair Trading practices.”
Trump also criticised members of the Court who joined the majority, writing that he was “ashamed of certain Members of the Court for not having the Courage to do what is right for our Country,” while thanking Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh for their dissents.
He said the case was important to him “more as a symbol of Economic and National Security, than anything else,” and maintained that tariffs had strengthened the US economy and reduced fentanyl inflows, adding that “other alternatives will now be used to replace the ones that the Court incorrectly rejected.”
The ruling does not affect sector-specific tariffs imposed under Section 232 or other trade statutes, and the Court did not address whether the administration could pursue similar measures under those alternative authorities.
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