President Donald Trump raged at the Supreme Court majority that struck down the centerpiece of his economic agenda, sweeping tariffs imposed on countries worldwide.
Appearing Friday in the White House briefing room, where the lighting was dimmed, Trump called the ruling “deeply disappointing” and said he was “absolutely ashamed” of the majority of the court for “not having the courage to do what’s right for our country.”
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The court ruled earlier in the day that Trump lacked authority under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act to unilaterally impose the levies.
The president vowed to push forward on his tariffs, citing authority from other trade laws but acknowledging that it was “a little bit longer process,” including Section 301 investigations under trade law. He said that all national security tariffs “will remain in place,” and he said that he would implement an additional 10% global tariff under Section 122 “over and above our normal tariffs already being charged.” That tariff, however, can only be in effect for 150 days.
That said, Trump seethed at his defeat in the Supreme Court, with two justices he appointed, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch, joining the majority. He called the justices “fools and lap dogs for the RINOs and the radical left Democrats” and “very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution.” He called Barrett and Gorsuch “an embarrassment to their families.” He also claimed that the court “has been swayed by foreign interests,” but did not offer evidence when pressed.
“Foreign countries that have been ripping us off for years are ecstatic,” Trump said. “They’re so happy, and they’re dancing in the streets, but they won’t be dancing in the streets for long, that I can assure you.” He said that the justices who voted in the majority were still invited to the State of the Union next week, but “barely.”
In vowing to seek “other alternatives,” Trump cited Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s dissenting opinion, as he referred to other options. Trump insisted that he could ask Congress for authority to impose tariffs “and probably get it,” though his focus was on other claimed authority from other trade legislation.
It seems highly unlikely that Trump would be able to replicate the scope of his tariffs by an act of Congress, and his new efforts to impose them are likely to be challenged in court again.
Asked if the hundreds of billions in tariff revenue has to be refunded, Trump said, “I guess it has to get litigated for the next two years.”
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