The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariff programme saying he lacked the constitutional authority to impose broad import taxes on his own a decision that has triggered new trade tensions and legal and economic uncertainty.
In response Trump reacted with fury toward the justices calling parts of their decision “terrible” and publicly criticising them for what he described as a failure to protect American interests. He insisted that despite the setback the United States will continue to pursue a robust trade policy.
To immediately counter the court’s ruling Trump signed an order imposing a new 10 percent global tariff on imports effective for about 150 days under an alternative legal authority. He says this new levy will ensure continued pressure on trading partners and protect U.S. industries.
The court majority held that the Constitution gives Congress not the president the power to lay and collect taxes and tariffs and that the emergency powers statute Trump relied on did not authorise sweeping global levies.
Economists and policymakers are warning that the legal battle is far from over with potential challenges expected against the new tariff and questions over whether companies might seek refunds for levies already paid. Trade uncertainty could linger in global markets as countries watch how U.S. policy evolves.
Trump’s move underscores how central trade and protectionism remain to his economic agenda even as legal limits and constitutional checks reshape how far an administration can go without congressional approval.
