'Unjust political organization': Trump attacks Supreme Court over tariff ruling, vows to fight on

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump launched a sweeping late-night attack on the Supreme Court of the United States and the wider judiciary on Sunday, March 15, accusing courts of political bias after a ruling that struck down significant elements of his administration’s tariff policy.

In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump insisted he still had “the absolute right” to impose tariffs and said his administration would pursue alternative legal pathways to continue imposing import duties. 

“The Courts treat Republicans, and me, so unfairly,” Trump wrote, arguing that judges have become “highly politicized.”

Clash over Federal Reserve investigation

Trump also directed sharp criticism at federal judge James Boasberg, who rejected an effort by the Department of Justice to investigate the Federal Reserve.

The president accused Boasberg of political bias and claimed the judge had targeted him and his allies for years.

The dispute stems from tensions surrounding Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, whom Trump has repeatedly criticized for refusing to cut interest rates despite pressure from the White House.

Trump described Powell’s leadership as “gross incompetence” and suggested the central bank should face scrutiny over the cost overruns of a renovation project at its Washington headquarters.

Supreme Court ruling hits tariff strategy

Trump’s outburst followed a February decision by the Supreme Court that found the administration had improperly relied on a 1977 emergency powers law to justify sweeping tariffs imposed last year on imports from numerous countries.

The ruling dealt a major blow to Trump’s trade agenda, which has relied heavily on tariffs as a central economic policy tool. However, administration officials have since sought alternative legal mechanisms to continue the policy.

Temporary tariffs already introduced

Following the ruling, Trump moved quickly to impose a temporary 10% tariff on imports from many countries using powers under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows short-term duties to address trade imbalances.

Those tariffs are scheduled to expire after 150 days in July.

Trump argued that the court’s decision risked giving “trillions of dollars” back to foreign governments and companies that he says have long taken advantage of the United States.

Trump praises conservative justices

Despite condemning the court overall, Trump praised the conservative justices who backed his position in the case, including Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh.

He accused the rest of the court of effectively siding with foreign competitors and said the judiciary had become a “weaponized and unjust political organization.”

“All I can do, as president, is call them out for their bad behavior,” Trump wrote.