Donald Trump on Saturday announced a temporary tariff hike of 10% to 15% on US imports from all countries within 24 hours of a US Supreme Court ruling against the legality of his flagship trade policy.
The US president, angered by a high court ruling on Friday that he overstepped his authority and required congressional approval for the tariffs, lashed out at judges who blocked his use of the tariffs, calling them a “disgrace to the nation” and ordered an immediate 10% tariff on all existing imports.
Announcing the further increase at the Truth Social on Saturday, Trump wrote: “I, as President of the United States of America, will, effective immediately, raise 10% worldwide tariffs on countries, many of which have been ‘ripping off’ America for decades, without retaliation (until I come!), to the full permitted level, and 15%.
Section 122 of the Commerce Act, 1974 allows the law to levy up to 15% for 150 days, although it faces legal challenges. At that point, his administration will work to issue new and “legally permissible” tariffs, Trump said.
The president attacked the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling as “ridiculous, poorly written and outrageously anti-American” in his Truth Social post.
In remarks at the White House on Friday, Trump told reporters: “I think the court has been subjugated by foreign interests and a much smaller political movement than people ever thought.” He said: “I am ashamed of some members of the court. Absolutely ashamed for not having the courage to do what is right for our country.”
He praised the three justices who dissented in the opinion: Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, who wrote the lead dissent. Others — including two of his appointees, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch — mocked him.
“They are fools and lapdogs for the rhinos [“Republicans in name only”] And the radical-left Democrats, and it’s not like they want anything to do with it,” Trump said. “They’re very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution.”
He called Barrett and Gorsuch “an embarrassment to their families” and said they were “barely” invited to next week’s State of the Union address.
Asked for evidence of foreign influence on the Supreme Court, Trump replied: “You’re going to find out.”
