Trump defies Supreme Court, hikes global tariffs to 15%

U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated tariffs by raising global levies to 15%, following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down his previous emergency import taxes.

The Supreme Court referred to his imposition of emergency import tariffs as an overreach of presidential power.

Trump announced the hike from 10% levy on his Truth Social post on Saturday, February 21.

Referring to the Supreme Court ruling, he called it a “thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued yesterday.”

As per Trump’s decision, the new tariffs take effect from Tuesday, February 24, but can only be imposed for approximately five months before requiring congressional approval under the never-before-used trade law Trump is invoking.

The ruling came on Thursday, February 19, stating that Trump overstepped his authority while imposing global tariffs last year using the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

The Supreme Court’s decision marked the first time in Trump’s second term that a conservative-dominated court ruled against Trump’s expansive use of executive power. 

Two of Trump's appointees, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, also joined the majority.