Trump Raises Tariffs to 15%, Turning Supreme Court Defeat Into Political Rallying Cry

President Trump transformed what many observers expected to be a humbling legal defeat into a political rallying cry Saturday, announcing a 15% global tariff just hours after the Supreme Court struck down his previous trade authority. Far from retreating, Trump used the moment to energize his base, attack his critics on the bench, and double down on his most controversial economic policy.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump declared the new 15% rate effective immediately under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — a never-before-used provision allowing tariffs of up to 15% for 150 days without congressional approval. He described foreign nations as longtime exploiters of American generosity and cast his tariff agenda as the only honest defense of American workers and industries.
Trump’s attacks on the Supreme Court were designed as much for his political audience as for the legal record. He called the 6-3 ruling “ridiculous” and “anti-American,” branded majority justices as “fools and lapdogs,” and directed particularly stinging criticism at his own nominees Barrett and Gorsuch, calling them an “embarrassment to their families.” He praised dissenters Kavanaugh, Thomas, and Alito as patriotic heroes.
European allies watched with growing alarm. Germany’s Chancellor Merz described ongoing tariff uncertainty as economic “poison” and announced a coordinated visit to Washington. France’s Macron praised the Supreme Court ruling as a demonstration that democracy’s checks and balances still function. The UK, having negotiated a 10% arrangement, now faces an uncertain renegotiation under the new 15% baseline.
American households remain the primary bearers of tariff costs, with 90% of the $130 billion collected to date absorbed domestically. Business groups have called for refunds, but Trump signaled those would require a long legal fight. Exemptions apply to critical minerals, metals, pharmaceuticals, and USMCA-compliant goods from Canada and Mexico.