Donald Trump has said he has the “absolute right” to impose new tariffs after a ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States found that several import duties introduced by his administration last year were illegal.
The court ruled that a 1977 law intended to address national emergencies did not provide sufficient legal authority for many of the tariffs placed on goods from multiple countries. Following the decision, the administration has been working to rebuild its trade strategy and maintain economic leverage.
Trump later imposed a temporary 10% tariff on goods from many countries using Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act. However, the measure is limited to 150 days and is set to expire in July. The president has indicated he could increase the tariff to 15%, though no official move has yet been announced.
US officials have also launched several new trade investigations that could pave the way for another round of permanent tariffs to replace those struck down by the court.
The president criticized the court’s decision on social media, claiming it had harmed the country and insisting he still has the authority to introduce tariffs through other legal mechanisms.
The comments come as Washington prepares for key trade discussions with Mexico regarding the future of the trilateral USMCA trade agreement with Canada. Trump is also expected to meet Xi Jinping, leader of China, later this month as both sides attempt to navigate strained economic relations.
Meanwhile, the US president has continued to use trade pressure in international disputes, including warning of potential trade consequences for Spain after disagreements over the use of military bases during strikes targeting Iran.
Photo by Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)