Trump Raises Tariffs to 15% Globally, Blasts Justices as “Disgrace to the Nation”

President Donald Trump launched a fierce counteroffensive Saturday after the Supreme Court struck down his tariff powers, announcing a 15% levy on all international imports and launching blistering personal attacks on the justices who ruled against him. The president posted the announcement on Truth Social, framing it as a necessary defense of American economic interests.
Invoking Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — a provision never before used — Trump claimed the new tariff was both “fully allowed” and “legally tested.” The move circumvents the IEEPA authority the Supreme Court rejected, giving him a 150-day window to impose the levy before needing congressional backing. His administration plans to develop permanent, legally sustainable tariff mechanisms in that time.
Trump’s personal attacks on the Supreme Court were unusually intense. He described the majority as “fools and lapdogs,” singled out Barrett and Gorsuch as “barely” welcome at the State of the Union, and called them “an embarrassment to their families.” He praised the three dissenters and expressed shame at what he called the court’s lack of patriotism.
World reaction was swift and sharp. German Chancellor Merz announced plans to travel to Washington to present a unified European position. French President Macron celebrated the role of the judiciary in democratic societies. British trade officials expressed alarm, noting that the UK had already agreed to a lower 10% rate that now appears obsolete.
The announcement raises serious questions about the stability of US trade policy. With 90% of tariff costs historically falling on American consumers and businesses, the increase to 15% promises to deepen the financial burden already being felt across the country. Legal challenges to the new tariff authority are widely expected.