With SCOTUS striking down ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, Trump implements 15% tax on all imports

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down much of President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, imposed via a series of executive orders that cited powers granted to the president under the authority of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a law that carves out exceptions for emergencies involving foreign powers.

In a 6-3 vote, justices in the highest court in the land ruled that Trump failed to demonstrate the necessary emergency prerequisite, and that the scope of the law does not allow for tariffs to be imposed for political aims.

Many of these tariffs directly impact healthcare, with many medical supplies, devices and drugs imported from overseas necessary to meet the demands of the American supply chain.

Since the ruling, Trump has looked for new ways to keep tariffs in place, though the variable rates imposed on goods from countries all over the world are now lifted, assuming the administration adheres to the decision from the Supreme Court.

On Friday night, Trump responded by announcing 10% tariffs on all imports from around the world. That was revealed in a post on Truth Social. Under the new justification, Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, the levies are limited for 150 days to adjust for trade imbalances.

After that time, only Congress can intervene to extend any tariffs.

Trump claimed he signed those tariffs per an executive order the same day as his social media post.

By Saturday, the number had jumped to 15%. In another social media post, Trump confirmed the hike was “effective immediately.”

“I, as President of the United States of America, will be, effective immediately, raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff on Countries, many of which have been “ripping” the U.S. off for decades, without retribution (until I came along!), to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level,” he wrote on Truth Social.

“During the next short number of months, the Trump Administration will determine and issue the new and legally permissible Tariffs,” he added without elaborating what that meant. However, he has made it clear he intends to restore the original tariffs by some unknown legal means.

The end of ‘Liberation Day’

On April 2, 2025, Trump announced what he called “reciprocal” tariffs on nations all over the globe, based on what the administration saw as trade deficits. This was dubbed “Liberation Day” by the administration, where dozens of countries all over the globe faced different rates of taxes based on a calculation that’s methodology remains unclear, as some of the countries had a trade surplus with the U.S.

Liberation Day tariff rates were put in place before additional tariffs on Canada and Brazil, which were imposed as the President feuded with those world leaders. Those import taxes, according to CNBC, have been paid at rates as high as 50%.

All of the above were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. However, for the next 150 days at least, the blanket 15% across the board may hold.

Notably, that’s the same rate the U.S. and Europe agreed to in trade negotiations that came after Liberation Day.

This is a developing story.