President Trump said Friday that he is “absolutely ashamed” of the Supreme Court after it struck down his sweeping tariffs agenda.
Why it matters: Trump, who previously called the lawsuit the “most important case ever,” was banking on tariffs to boost the U.S. economy, pay down the national debt, and fund domestic policy plans.
- “The Supreme Court’s ruling on tariffs is deeply disappointing,” he said in Friday afternoon’s news conference.
The big picture: The Supreme Court’s ruling is a blow to the administration’s economic and foreign policy agendas and a rare rebuke of Trump’s power.
- The president criticized the court for not releasing a decision sooner, and he rejected the idea of working with Congress. He also accused justices of being swayed by foreign interests.
Zoom in: “I’m allowed to destroy the country, but I can’t charge them a little fee,” he said.
Friction point: Trump said the justices who struck down his policy were a “disgrace to our nation” and expressed surprise that conservative Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett were in the majority.
- “I think it’s an embarrassment to their families,” he said.
- The majority ruling justices were “barely” still invited to his State of the Union address on Tuesday, he said, adding: “Honestly, I couldn’t care less if they come.”
What we’re watching: Trump said the government will use another section of trade law to immediately impose 10% tariffs on countries around the world, but the Section 122 authority is temporary.
- “Countries that have treated us badly will have to pay a price for treating us badly, and countries that have been good to us will be treated very well,” Trump said.
Context: Trump has repeatedly claimed the U.S. economy would struggle if the Supreme Court shot down his policy.
- “I’ll have to figure something out. I don’t want to even think about it, we’re doing so well,” Trump said in October, later adding that if tariffs are taken away, “then they’ve taken away our national security.”
@Axios
