Trump criticizes U.S. Supreme Court after justices strike down key tariff measures

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has sharply criticized several justices of the Supreme Court of the United States after the court struck down a series of tariffs he imposed on multiple countries, describing some members of the bench as “unpatriotic and disloyal.”

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he was “ashamed of certain members of the court,” arguing that the ruling undermined U.S. interests while benefiting foreign nations. He insisted that his administration had acted within its legal authority to protect national security and economic stability.

The court’s decision rejected Trump’s broad use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a law enacted in the 1970s that allows the president to regulate commerce during a declared national emergency involving an unusual or extraordinary threat to national security. Trump had invoked the law to justify imposing tariffs on nearly all countries, arguing that the United States faced a growing crisis linked to illegal drug flows and trade imbalances.

During the early phase of his second term, Trump introduced tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, claiming the countries had failed to curb the trafficking of fentanyl into the United States. The administration framed the measures as necessary to pressure foreign governments into stronger enforcement efforts.

In the Supreme Court ruling, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett — both appointed by Trump during his first presidency — joined Chief Justice John Roberts and three liberal-leaning justices in determining that the expansive use of emergency powers in this context was unlawful.

Trump, however, praised the dissenting justices — Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Brett Kavanaugh — calling them “strong and wise” individuals who, in his words, “love the country.”

When asked whether he regretted appointing Gorsuch and Barrett, Trump declined to directly answer but described their decision as “bad” and said it reflected poorly on their judgment.

Despite the ruling, Trump announced plans to impose a general 10 percent tariff and initiate new investigations that could lead to additional trade measures targeting specific countries and products. He emphasized that other tariffs previously placed on steel and various goods would remain in effect, as they were not part of the Supreme Court case.

The president maintained that alternative legal authorities still provide him with the power to implement broader trade restrictions if necessary. “To protect the country, the president can take even stronger action,” Trump said, signaling that trade policy will remain a central pillar of his administration’s economic strategy.