WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump vowed to escalate a global trade war Saturday, announcing a planned increase to 15% tariffs on all imports “effective immediately” after the Supreme Court struck down his previous sweeping tariff policies Friday. The move comes as legal experts suggest the ruling signals a weakening of the president’s authority and could invite further domestic challenges to his economic agenda.
The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, ruled that the president does not have the constitutional authority to unilaterally impose tariffs without explicit congressional approval. The decision centered on Trump’s assertion of broad presidential power to levy import taxes, a cornerstone of his economic policy during his second term. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, stated that the President’s actions required “clear congressional authorization.”
Trump responded to the ruling with sharp criticism, calling the justices who voted against him “absolutely ashamed” and the decision “deeply disappointing.” He insisted, still, that he had “very powerful alternatives” to achieve his economic goals. Shortly after the initial announcement of a 10% global tariff following the court’s decision, Trump escalated the rate via a post on Truth Social.
Professor Rajneesh Narula, an expert in international business regulation and global trade policy at the University of Reading, argued that the Supreme Court’s decision could mark a turning point in Trump’s presidency. “Trump will almost certainly look for a workaround – this ruling was widely expected,” Narula told the Daily Express. “The reality is that his tariff policy has been placing the greatest strain on domestic consumers rather than achieving its intended external impact.”
Narula added that the tariffs have failed to deliver the promised economic benefits, and that the court’s ruling could embolden domestic opposition to Trump’s economic policies. “It’s a classic case of the emperor having no clothes: who will be the first to say enough is enough?” he said. He suggested that the ruling could initiate a broader domestic pushback against Trump’s economic policies, as many Americans have not experienced the positive outcomes promised by the tariffs.
Recent polling data suggests growing public skepticism regarding the tariff policy. A YouGov poll conducted in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision found that 60% of Americans strongly or somewhat approve of the ruling, with only 23% opposed. A Pew Research Center poll indicated that a majority of Americans anticipate negative consequences from the tariff policy, both for themselves and the country as a whole.
The legal basis for Trump’s tariffs has been contested since their initial implementation, with critics arguing they exceeded the president’s constitutional authority. The Supreme Court’s ruling affirms those concerns, potentially opening the door to legal challenges regarding the billions of dollars in revenue collected through the tariffs. Trump had previously warned that a negative ruling could force the U.S. To repay “many Hundreds of Billion of Dollars” in collected revenue and “Trillions” more in private investments.
As of Saturday evening, the White House had not released details regarding the legal justification for the increased 15% tariffs, nor a timeline for their implementation. The administration has indicated This proves exploring other avenues to impose trade restrictions, but has not specified what those might be.