WASHINGTON, Feb 23 (Reuters) — President Donald Trump on Monday renewed his criticism of the U.S. Supreme Court after it struck down his sweeping tariff program last week, pledging to rely on alternative trade powers without outlining specifics.
In a social media post, Trump said the court had approved other tariff authorities that he could deploy “in a much more powerful and obnoxious way” with legal certainty. Earlier, he announced plans to raise a temporary universal tariff from 10 percent to 15 percent, the maximum permitted under the relevant statute.
On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump exceeded his authority by imposing higher tariff rates under an economic emergency law. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts reaffirmed the court’s role in checking presidential power. Notably, two justices appointed by Trump joined the ruling.
In response, Trump suggested he could also use licensing mechanisms to pressure trading partners. He questioned why the United States could not charge licensing fees, arguing that licenses inherently involve fees. However, he did not clarify how such a system would operate.
Meanwhile, financial markets reacted cautiously. Wall Street futures and the dollar fell early Monday amid uncertainty over U.S. trade policy. Oil prices also dipped on concerns about global growth and fuel demand before stabilizing on news of planned U.S.-Iran talks.
The ruling has already affected trade diplomacy. China urged Washington to remove tariff measures, the European Union moved to freeze its agreement, and India delayed planned negotiations.
Despite the setback, Trump signaled he will continue pursuing aggressive trade actions under different legal authorities.
