President Donald Trump promised to persevere with his tariff agenda, despite the Supreme Court ruling against his use of his presidential emergency economic powers, and announced a new global 10% tariff on all imports to the United States.
Trump will sign an order directing the rapid implementation of the new Section 122 fee on Friday afternoon, he told reporters during a press conference at the White House, before criticizing the six Supreme Court justices who ruled against him. The president claimed that the decision gave clarity on his total authority over trade into the United States.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling on tariffs is deeply disappointing, and I’m ashamed of certain members of the Court, absolutely ashamed for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country,” Trump stated at the top of his remarks.
The 6-3 ruling found that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to impose tariffs, though Trump did praise Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, whom he appointed, for his dissent.
Trump underscored there were “methods, practices, statutes, and authorities” that were even stronger than the International Emergency Economic Powers Act before suggesting the Supreme Court may have “been swayed by foreign interests and a political movement that is far smaller than people would ever think.”
“We have alternatives, great alternatives,” he said, citing 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.
The president additionally castigated the six Supreme Court justices in the majority opinion, including Trump-appointed Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch, by referring to them as “fools” and “lapdogs” for Democrats.
Later in his remarks, Trump claimed that the “people who brought the lawsuit” are “major sleaze bags” and “foreign country-centric.”
“They were sending things into our country, and they were beneficial to other countries, but very, very bad for us, and I stopped it, and we’ll just keep it going,” he continued. “I think that foreign interests are represented by people that I believe have undue influence. They have a lot of influence over the Supreme Court, whether it’s through fear or respect or friendships, I don’t know. But I know some of the people who were involved on the other side, and I don’t like them. I think they’re real slime balls.”
Asked by the Washington Examiner if he had gathered any “evidence” to back his claims, or if he planned to open an investigation into potential influence over the court, the president responded simply, “You’re going to find out.”
In addition to the new Section 122 global tariff that he outlined, Trump could potentially get around the Supreme Court ruling by having Congress codify the now-illegal “Liberation Day” tariff rates. However, Trump openly rejected that idea during his presser.
“I don’t have to,” he told reporters when asked about asking Congress to pass a bill on the matter. “I have the right to do tariffs, and I’ve always had the right.”
“So there’s no reason to do that,” Trump continued. “All we’re doing is we’re going through a little bit more complicated process.”
Trump had used the authority to levy his Liberation Day tariffs and fentanyl-related duties against China, Canada, and Mexico.
The ruling is the latest judicial decision to undermine Trump’s agenda, though the Supreme Court, which, at the moment, has a conservative majority. The court decided last July that the Judiciary Act of 1789 does not authorize nationwide injunctions, a win for the president.
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Friday’s decision came after Trump vented about the Supreme Court case during an economic address in Georgia on Thursday.
“I have to wait for this decision,” he said. “I’ve been waiting forever, forever, and the language is clear: that I have the right to do it as president. I have the right to put tariffs on, for national security purposes, countries that have been ripping us off for years.”