The US Supreme Court has invalidated most of the president’s previous tariffs
US President Donald Trump has declared an increase in his new global import tariff from 10% to 15%. This action took place a day after the US Supreme Court invalidated most of the tariffs he had imposed earlier.
On Friday, America’s highest court ruled that the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant Trump the authority to impose what he termed reciprocal tariffs on nearly every country. The president responded by promptly introducing another global 10% tariff under separate legislation, utilizing the Trade Act of 1974.
On Saturday, Trump stated that he would raise the tariff to the “fully permitted and legally verified 15% level.” He criticized the court’s decision as “ridiculous, poorly drafted, and extremely anti-American.”
Trump said the government would find means to impose “new and legally allowable tariffs” in the upcoming months. He had earlier promised to initiate investigations into potentially unfair foreign trade practices that could result in additional tariffs.
The 1974 law enables the president to impose tariffs for 150 days, with any further extension requiring congressional approval. When asked about this on Friday, Trump told journalists, “we have the right to do pretty much what we want to do.”
After returning to the White House last year, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, and later announced a baseline 10% tariff on many other countries he accused of “cheating” the US. He also attempted to use this measure as political leverage, earlier this year threatening additional tariffs against European countries that oppose his plan to annex Greenland from Denmark.