WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump threatened nations Monday with punishing hikes on import duties if they choose to “play games” after the US Supreme Court struck down his global tariffs last week.
The high court’s decision has dealt a sharp blow to Trump’s economic agenda, of which tariffs — and his ability to impose them rapidly — have been a key feature.
For now, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said that he expects partners to “stand by” the tariff deals they have struck with Washington.
After Supreme Court ruled against Trump’s country-specific tariffs last week, saying he exceeded his authority in tapping emergency economic powers to impose them, the US leader turned to a separate law to announce new 15-percent duties on imports.
Trump insisted in a separate Truth Social post Monday that “as President, I do not have to go back to Congress to get approval of tariffs.”
He also claimed that the court gave him “far more powers and strength” with its ruling, and that he could use “licenses to do absolutely ‘terrible’ things to foreign countries”. – AFP
