President Donald Trump suffered a significant setback on Friday, Feb. 20, after the Supreme Court voted 6–3 to invalidate his broad import tariff policy.
Soon after the decision, Trump hosted a breakfast meeting with governors from across the country. While reporters were asked to leave shortly after he entered, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reported that the president privately criticized the ruling as a “disgrace” and told attendees he had “a backup plan.”
Speaking later to the press, Trump described the decision as “deeply disappointing.”
“I am absolutely ashamed of certain members of the court for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country,” Trump said. “When you read the dissenting opinions, there’s no way that anyone can argue against them.”
He expressed gratitude to the three dissenting justices — Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas — while condemning the majority. Trump also took aim at Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch, both of whom he appointed, calling their rulings “an embarrassment.”
“It’s my opinion that the court has been swayed by foreign interests,” Trump added. “It’s almost like the decision was written by not very smart people.”
Trump pointed to Justice Kavanaugh’s dissent, which noted that the ruling specifically blocks tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA).
“Other alternatives will now be used to replace the ones that the court incorrectly rejected,” Trump said. “I’m going to go in a different direction.”
The president announced plans to sign an executive order establishing a global 10% tariff and to launch an investigation aimed at protecting the United States from what he described as unfair trade practices. He dismissed the need for congressional involvement, stating, “I don’t have to. I have a right to do tariffs. I’ve always had a right to do tariffs.”
On April 2, 2025 — a day Trump labeled “Liberation Day” — he invoked IEEPA to impose tariffs on imports affecting more than 100 countries. Most goods were subject to a 10% baseline duty, while certain nations faced higher rates tied to trade negotiations.
The Supreme Court’s ruling eliminates the baseline tariff, along with drug trafficking–related tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, and the 145% effective rate applied to many Chinese goods.
“The President asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration, and scope,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. “In light of the breadth, history, and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorization to exercise it.”
“We hold that IEEPA does not authorize the president to impose tariffs,” Roberts concluded.
In a concurring opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch acknowledged that the decision may disappoint advocates of expanded tariffs but emphasized the constitutional role of Congress.
“For those who think it important for the Nation to impose more tariffs, I understand that today’s decision will be disappointing,” Gorsuch wrote. “Most major decisions affecting the rights and responsibilities of the American people … are funneled through the legislative process for a reason.”
He added that while legislation can be slow and difficult, the process is designed to ensure that national policy reflects the collective judgment of elected representatives rather than the will of a single individual.
“If history is any guide,” Gorsuch wrote, “the day will come when those disappointed by today’s result will appreciate the legislative process for the bulwark of liberty it is.”
