Trump’s New Heroes Following Supreme Court Ruling on Tariffs
On Friday, President Donald Trump expressed his admiration for certain Supreme Court justices, labeling them his “new heroes” after a ruling limited his authority over tariffs.
In a post on Truth Social, the day after the Court’s 6-3 decision that curtailed his powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Trump named Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito. He wrote, “There’s no question in everyone’s heart that they want to make America great again.”
Interestingly, all three justices sided with the minority opinion, with Kavanaugh penning a sharp dissent that criticized the majority’s ruling as “illogical.”
In his dissent, Kavanaugh raised concerns about the ruling’s implications, stating, “The way they interpret this law… the president can block all imports from China, but he cannot order even a dollar of tariffs on imports from China. That approach doesn’t make much sense.”
He argued that the IEEPA does not create a “strange distinction” between quotas, embargoes, and tariffs, asserting that the president should have the authority to use these tools during national emergencies.
Last year, Trump had unilaterally imposed tariffs on almost every country, asserting that the influx of illegal drugs and the trade deficit warranted such actions.
During a speech on Friday, Trump praised Kavanaugh’s intellect and expressed pride in appointing him to the Court. Kavanaugh remarked in his dissent that, while he disagrees with the ruling, it may not significantly limit the president’s ability to impose tariffs in the future, given that other federal laws still enable this power.
However, Kavanaugh did note the ruling could have immediate consequences, such as potentially requiring the U.S. to refund billions of dollars to importers affected by the IEEPA tariffs, which might add confusion to ongoing trade issues.
In response to the ruling, Trump announced on Saturday that he would increase global tariffs to 15%, up from an earlier 10%. He cited Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act when revealing the new rate.
