U.S. President Donald Trump announces 10% global Tariff after America’s Supreme Court rules against Tariffs
SNPNEWS.IN News (Gurmail Kamboj): During U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term in 2025, he imposed global tariffs on countries worldwide using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). This order was challenged in court by small companies and several U.S. states, who called Trump’s tariffs illegal. Lower courts (District Court and Federal Circuit) ruled against Trump, stating that the President does not have the authority to impose tariffs under IEEPA.
The Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court, which heard arguments in November 2025. The decision was delivered on February 20, 2026. The Supreme Court ruled that under the U.S. Constitution, imposing tariffs/duties is Congress’s power (Article I, Section 8: “The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises”). The President was not granted this authority. The IEEPA (1977 law) uses the words “regulate … importation,” but it makes no mention of “tariffs,” “duties,” or taxes. The Court stated that when Congress delegates tariff authority, it uses clear language and sets limits (such as rate caps, time limits, etc.) – none of which exist in IEEPA.
No previous President had ever used IEEPA for tariffs – this was the first time, and accepting it would have meant a massive delegation of power. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion: “IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.” It was a decision by the full bench (6-3 vote: Roberts, Sotomayor, Kagan, Gorsuch, Barrett, Jackson in favor; Thomas, Alito, Kavanaugh dissenting).
As a result, Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs (10% global + fentanyl-related ones) were declared illegal, and an estimated $160-175 billion in tariffs could be refunded. Trump then imposed a new 10% tariff under Section 122, but it is temporary.This ruling is historic in U.S. history as it limits the President’s emergency powers.
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U.S. President Donald Trump addressed a nearly 45-minute White House press conference after the Supreme Court ruled against the tariffs, targeting the Supreme Court in his opening remarks:
“Wow. That’s a lot of people. That’s a new record, we set a record every time. Well thank you very much for being here.
The Supreme Court’s ruling on tariffs is deeply disappointing, and I’m ashamed of certain members of the court, absolutely ashamed, for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country.
I’d like to thank and congratulate Justices Thomas, Alito and Kavanaugh for their strength and wisdom and love of our country…
Foreign countries that have been ripping us off for years are ecstatic. They’re so happy, and they’re dancing in the streets, but they won’t be dancing for long, that I can assure you….
certain justices are afraid of that. They don’t want to do the right thing. They’re afraid of it… they’re just being fools and lapdogs… very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution.”
(He called the ruling “deeply disappointing” and “terrible.” He expressed shame toward certain justices – especially his appointees Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch – calling them “unpatriotic,” “disloyal to our Constitution,” “fools,” “lap dogs,” and a “disgrace to our nation.” He said they were influenced by foreign interests or Washington insiders.)
On the benefits of tariffs and economic records, Trump said:
“Tariffs have likewise been used to end five of the eight wars… including India-Pakistan… The prime minister of Pakistan said yesterday… President Trump could have saved 35 million lives…
Our stock market has just recently broken 50,000 on the Dow and… 77,000 on the S&P… We did it in one year.”
Sharp sarcasm on the Court ruling and the “Ridiculous” point:
“The good news is that there are methods… even stronger than the IEEPA tariffs…
The court said that I’m not allowed to charge even one dollar… but I can destroy the trade, I can destroy the country… I can embargo… but I can’t charge one dollar… How ridiculous is that?” (He mocked that according to the Court, he can issue licenses but not charge fees – making the ruling highly sarcastic.)
“Today I will sign an order to impose a 10 per cent global tariff under Section 122 over and above our normal tariffs already being charged. And we’re also initiating several Section 301 and other investigations…
All national security tariffs under Section 232 and existing Section 301 tariffs remain in place, fully in place, and in full force and effect.” (This is temporary, but he said “Nothing changes” – the old tariffs remain.)
At this point, a journalist asked about the India-U.S. trade deal. In response, Trump said:
“Nothing changes. They’ll be paying tariffs, and we will not be paying tariffs. So the deal with India is they pay tariffs… This is a reversal for what it used to be.
I think Prime Minister Modi is a great gentleman, a great man, actually, but he was much smarter than the people that he was against in terms of the United States. He was ripping us off, India.
So we made a deal with India, it’s a fair deal now, and we are not paying tariffs to them and they are paying tariffs. We did a little flip.”
(He added that the deal with India remains exactly the same – India pays tariffs, America does not. The new 10% global tariff will also apply to India.)
He told foreign countries (like India, China, etc.) that they are “ecstatic” and “dancing in the streets,” but “they won’t be dancing for long.” He imposed the temporary 10% global tariff under the Trade Act of 1974’s Section 122 (for 150 days, extendable by Congress) to bypass the Court’s ruling on the previous IEEPA tariffs.
Trump concluded the press conference by saying:“…great certainty has been brought back to the economy of the United States and actually the economy of the world… Make America Great Again!”