US President Donald Trump has announced an immediate increase in the worldwide tariff rate to 15%, hours after the US Supreme Court struck down his earlier sweeping tariff measures.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump sharply criticised what he called a “ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision” by the Court. He declared that the existing 10% global tariff would be raised to what he described as the “fully allowed, and legally tested” 15% level.
“Effective immediately,” Trump wrote, the new rate would apply to countries he accused of having “ripped” the United States off for decades. He added that over the coming months, his administration would determine and issue revised tariffs within what he termed legally permissible limits.
The development follows a major legal setback for the president. On Friday, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that Trump exceeded his authority when imposing broad tariffs under a statute designed for national emergencies.
Supreme Court Rebukes Use of Emergency Law
In a 6-3 decision, the justices found that Trump’s reliance on the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify sweeping tariffs was not permitted under the law’s scope.
Quoting the Constitution’s allocation of taxing authority, the Court underscored that the Framers gave Congress “alone … access to the pockets of the people”. It held that the executive branch has no inherent peacetime authority to impose tariffs without explicit congressional authorisation.
The ruling further stated that “had Congress intended to convey the distinct and extraordinary power to impose tariffs” through IEEPA, “it would have done so expressly, as it consistently has in other tariff statutes”.
