Trump Blasts Supreme Court Picks Over Tariff Ruling

President Donald Trump lashed out at two of his own Supreme Court appointees after they sided against his administration in a major tariff case, saying the decision cost the country “hundreds of billions of dollars.”

Speaking at a fundraiser, Trump criticized the Court broadly before singling out Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, who joined the majority in ruling against his use of emergency powers to impose sweeping tariffs.

“Two of the people that I appointed… they sicken me,” Trump said. “They are bad for our country.”

The ruling centered on Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to justify broad tariffs on multiple countries. The Court found that the law does not authorize such actions, forcing the administration to pivot to other, more limited trade authorities.

Those alternatives include provisions from the Trade Act of 1974, which allow tariffs under specific conditions but often come with time limits or require additional investigations before implementation.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, another Trump appointee, dissented in the case, arguing that if a president can halt trade entirely under the law, then imposing tariffs should also be permissible.

Despite the setback, Trump allies have sought to frame the ruling as manageable. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said the decision still leaves room for the administration to pursue tariffs through other legal avenues.

The president’s remarks come amid broader tensions between the executive branch and the judiciary. Chief Justice John Roberts recently warned against rising hostility toward judges, cautioning that personal attacks on members of the Court are dangerous.

The clash underscores an ongoing debate over presidential authority in trade policy, particularly as Trump continues to push an aggressive tariff agenda using every available legal mechanism.