WASHINGTON – In a significant move, the Supreme Court on Friday issued a rare reprimand to President Donald Trump, ruling that he lacked the authority to unilaterally declare an economic emergency and impose wide-ranging tariffs on imports.
Trump had heavily relied on tariffs as a cornerstone of his economic strategy leading up to the midterm elections, often referring to them as his “favorite word in the dictionary.” He assured voters that these measures would encourage factories to return to the United States, bringing employment opportunities with them, and cautioned that eliminating tariffs could lead to a severe economic downturn.
However, the court’s decision is likely to extend the political and economic turbulence surrounding international trade into the upcoming election year.
Upon being informed of the ruling in a private meeting with several governors, Trump reportedly labeled the decision as “a disgrace,” according to a source familiar with the president’s reaction, who requested anonymity.
Republican strategist Doug Heye noted that it was immediately apparent that the president “is not going to be happy” with the outcome.
“We’re hearing how this represents a significant setback, a substantial repudiation,” Heye added.
However, Heye said Trump will try to find another way to pursue his trade agenda.
“Are they going to be able to figure out how to use this as an opportunity or not?” he asked. “There are too many questions.”
The White House plans to use alternative laws to preserve his tariffs, but those policies will only prolong the debate and keep alive an issue that is largely unpopular with voters.
About 6 in 10 Americans said Trump had gone too far on imposing new tariffs on other countries, according to an AP-NORC poll from January.
Even more worrisome for a president elected on the promise of fixing Americans’ concerns about affordability, 76% said in a poll conducted last April that Trump’s tariff policies would increase the cost of consumer goods in the U.S.
Democrats were quick to seize on the opportunity given to them by the Supreme Court, with Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., saying that Trump “is not a king” and his “tariffs were always illegal.”
“Republicans in Congress could have easily ended this economic crisis by standing up for their communities,” said DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Instead, they chose to bend the knee to Trump while families, small businesses, and farmers suffered from higher prices.”
The ruling essentially allows Democrats to say that Trump broke the law and that middle class families suffered as a result.
But Trump has claimed that his tariffs were the difference between national prosperity and deep poverty, a pitch he made on Thursday night to voters in the swing state of Georgia.
The president used the word “tariff” 28 times in his speech Thursday at a Georgia steel company, Coosa Steel, which credited the import taxes as making its products more competitive with goods from China.
“Without tariffs, this country would be in such trouble right now,” Trump charged.
Trump also complained that he had to justify his use of tariffs to the Supreme Court.
“I have to wait for this decision. I’ve been waiting forever, forever, and the language is clear that I have the right to do it as president,” he said. “I have the right to put tariffs on for national security purposes, countries that have been ripping us off for years.” By a 6-3 vote, the high court said no.
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