Trump vows 10% global tariff after stinging court rebuke

AFP | Washington

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President Donald Trump vowed Friday to impose a 10 percent tariff on all imports into the United States after the Supreme Court handed him a stinging rebuke by striking down his signature economic policy.

The conservative-majority top court ruled six-three that a 1977 law known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) Trump has relied on “does not authorize the president to impose tariffs.”

Trump, who had nominated two of the justices who repudiated him, responded furiously, alleging without any evidence that the court was influenced by foreign interests.

“I’m ashamed of certain members of the court, absolutely ashamed, for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country,” Trump told reporters.

Trump said he would use a separate authority to impose a uniform tariff of 10 percent -- after he spent the past year imposing various rates spontaneously to cajole and punish other countries.

The ruling did not impact sector-specific duties Trump separately imposed on imports of steel, aluminum and various other goods.

The court noted Friday that “had Congress intended to convey the distinct and extraordinary power to impose tariffs” with IEEPA, “it would have done so expressly, as it consistently has in other tariff statutes.”

The Supreme Court’s three liberal justices joined three conservatives in Friday’s ruling, which upheld lower court decisions that tariffs Trump imposed under IEEPA were illegal.

Trump heaped praise on Brett Kavanaugh, the only justice he nominated who voted with him. Kavanaugh was joined in his dissent by fellow conservatives Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.