Trump Names Supreme Court Justices as His “New Heroes”

President Donald Trump shared his admiration for certain Supreme Court justices in a post on his Truth Social platform following a ruling that limited his authority to impose tariffs. This statement came after the Court decided, in a 6-3 vote, to block Trump’s powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

In the post, Trump singled out Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito, referring to them as his “new heroes.” He expressed confidence that they, too, desire to “make America great again.”

While all three justices sided with the dissenting opinion, Kavanaugh took a particularly strong stance, labeling the Court’s decision as “illogical.” He pointed out the inconsistency in their interpretation: while the president can halt all imports from a country like China, he can’t impose any tariffs on those imports. Kavanaugh believed this didn’t really make sense.

Kavanaugh asserted that the IEEPA does not distinguish between tariffs, quotas, or embargoes, suggesting that the president should have the authority to use various measures to manage imports during a national emergency.

Last year, Trump had enacted tariffs on nearly all nations by invoking the IEEPA, arguing that the surge of illegal drugs from abroad and the trade deficit facing U.S. manufacturing constituted emergencies.

During a speech on Friday, Trump praised Kavanaugh’s “genius and incredible ability,” expressing pride in having appointed him.

Updates on Trump’s Tariffs Post-Supreme Court Ruling

Kavanaugh noted in his dissent that although he disagreed with the ruling, it might not significantly hinder the president’s future tariff-related actions, thanks to various federal laws that permit such measures. However, he cautioned that this ruling could have notable immediate consequences.

He mentioned that the U.S. might have to refund billions to importers who paid IEEPA tariffs, potentially complicating matters since some companies might have already passed those costs onto consumers. Kavanaugh remarked that the refund process could be quite “chaotic.”

He also suggested that the Court’s ruling could create “uncertainty” concerning what the government claims are trillions in trade agreements with nations like China, Britain, and Japan.

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision, Trump raised global tariffs to 15%, up from the previous 10% he announced, referencing Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act to justify this hike.