US President Trump promises new tariffs, slams Supreme Court decision
Al Jazeera
February 20, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
US President Donald Trump has vowed to continue his global tariff policies despite a Supreme Court ruling that struck down his use of emergency tariffs. The court's 6-3 decision invalidated Trump's reliance on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs, which had been argued to be outside Congress's authorized scope for peacetime trade measures. During a Friday press conference, Trump criticized the Supreme Court, calling it "unpatriotic" and accusing justices of being swayed by foreign interests. He emphasized that he would instead use the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to maintain and potentially increase tariffs, including a 10 percent levy on imports for 150 days.
The ruling marks a significant blow to Trump's trade agenda, as his emergency tariffs were expected to generate substantial revenue over the next decade. According to estimates by Oxford Economics, these tariffs could have brought in nearly $3.6 trillion from 2026 to 2035. However, the immediate impact of the Supreme Court decision will reduce the effective tariff rate from 12.7 percent to 8.3 percent. Trump argued that his alternative legal authority under the Trade Expansion Act would allow him to achieve even higher tariffs in the long run, though experts caution that this approach may be more complex and less impactful.
The outcome of the ruling has left uncertainty about the future of US tariff policies. While Trump claims the Trade Expansion Act gives him broader powers to impose tariffs, legal experts warn that this avenue is less straightforward than using IEEPA. For instance, Rachel Ziemba of the Center for a New American Security noted that the administration will face challenges in announcing and implementing new tariffs quickly. Kimberly Clausing of the Peterson Institute for International Economics agreed, stating that the ruling diminishes the "tariff cudgel" traditionally used by presidents to influence international trade dynamics.
The Supreme Court's decision also raises questions about how other countries and businesses will respond to US trade policies moving forward. With Trump's ability to impose tariffs weakened, foreign governments may feel more emboldened to challenge or ignore US trade measures.
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Originally published on Al Jazeera on 2/20/2026