In a bold act of defiance, President Donald Trump announced a new 15% tariff on all imports from every country, moving swiftly just hours after the US Supreme Court ruled his original tariff policy unconstitutional. The president invoked a separate legal authority — Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — to impose the new levy, bypassing the mechanism the court had struck down.
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling on Friday determined that Trump had overstepped his authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to implement sweeping tariffs without congressional approval. Trump reacted furiously, calling the justices a “disgrace to the nation” and targeting even his own appointees, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch, with harsh personal criticism.
The new tariff authority Trump is using allows a levy of up to 15% for a period of 150 days, after which congressional approval would be required. Trump stated his administration would use this window to develop new, “legally permissible” tariffs. Critics note this law has never been used before and could itself face legal challenges.
European leaders responded with alarm. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the ongoing tariff uncertainty “poison” for both American and European economies, while French President Emmanuel Macron praised the rule of law and called for reciprocity rather than unilateral trade decisions. The UK, which had previously agreed to a 10% tariff rate, now faces an unclear path forward.
Studies indicate that around 90% of the tariff costs collected so far — at least $130 billion — have been borne by US businesses and consumers rather than foreign exporters. Business groups have called for refunds, but Trump signaled those would only come through a prolonged legal fight. The new 15% rate deepens concerns about the long-term impact on global trade and American households.