US President Donald Trump has announced a fresh 10% global tariff, hours after the Supreme Court of the United States invalidated most of the sweeping import duties his administration introduced last year.
The president criticised the ruling as “terrible” and lashed out at justices who voted against the policy, describing them as “fools”, as he vowed to pursue alternative legal routes to reimpose tariffs.
In a 6–3 decision, the court ruled that Trump had exceeded his constitutional authority by imposing broad global tariffs without clear authorisation from Congress.
The judgment represents a major win for US states and businesses that challenged the measures and could expose the federal government to billions of dollars in potential tariff refunds.
Speaking at the White House on Friday, Trump signalled that any refunds would face prolonged legal resistance.
“We have alternatives — great alternatives — and we’ll be a lot stronger for it,” he said, adding that disputes over refunds could remain in court for years.
Trump insisted the tariffs were necessary to boost domestic manufacturing and attract investment, and said he would rely on other statutes to advance his trade agenda.
The legal battle centred on import taxes imposed on goods from nearly every country, which initially targeted Mexico, Canada and China before expanding to dozens of trade partners during what Trump dubbed “Liberation Day” last April.
The White House had justified the measures under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977. However, challengers argued the law did not explicitly grant the president authority to impose tariffs, warning the levies would raise consumer prices and disrupt global trade.
Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts agreed with that position.
“When Congress has delegated its tariff powers, it has done so in explicit terms and subject to strict limits,” Roberts wrote, adding that lawmakers would have acted clearly if they intended to grant such sweeping authority.
The ruling was supported by the court’s three liberal justices, as well as Trump appointees Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch. Conservative justices Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh and Samuel Alito dissented.
Reacting to the outcome, Trump said he was “absolutely ashamed” of the Republican-appointed justices who voted against his trade policy, while reaffirming plans to push ahead with new tariffs despite the ruling.
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