Trump Attacks Supreme Court After Tariff Ruling

Donald Trump attacked Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett on Truth Social following a February 6-3 decision that invalidated his sweeping reciprocal tariffs. The Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to impose such broad tariffs, a move Trump claims cost the United States $159 billion. He criticized his own appointees for lacking loyalty, suggesting they oppose him to appear independent, and mentioned the possibility of packing the court.

Chief Justice John Roberts authored the majority opinion, which has forced U.S. Customs and Border Protection to begin a massive refund program. Trump argued the financial loss could have been avoided if the court had stated that money paid to the U.S. does not require repayment. Separately, a judicial panel at the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that a 10 percent blanket tariff was unlawful under the 1974 Trade Act.

The friction extends to the case of Trump v. Barbara, concerning Executive Order 14160 which seeks to deny birthright citizenship to children of unlawful or temporary residents. Trump attended the April 1 oral arguments in an unprecedented move for a sitting president. He predicted the Court will strike down the order, warning that a negative ruling on citizenship, combined with the tariff catastrophe, is economically unsustainable.