In an unusual intertwining of trade policy and political theater, President Trump used a State of the Union invitation as a tool of political punishment Saturday, declaring that two of his own Supreme Court nominees were “barely” welcome at next week’s address after they ruled against him on tariffs. The remark came alongside a sweeping new 15% global tariff announcement.
Trump’s announcement on Truth Social declared a 15% tariff on all imports effective immediately, citing Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 after the Supreme Court struck down his IEEPA-based tariff authority 6-3 on Friday. He called the new rate legally valid and immediately effective. His administration plans to use the 150-day window to develop lasting, court-proof trade policy.
But it was Trump’s extraordinary attack on the judiciary that drew as much attention as the tariff itself. He called the majority justices “fools and lapdogs,” described Justices Barrett and Gorsuch — both his own nominees — as “an embarrassment to their families,” and questioned their patriotism. He praised dissenters Kavanaugh, Thomas, and Alito and expressed shame at the broader ruling.
On the global stage, the response was swift. Germany’s Chancellor Merz warned that tariff unpredictability was economically toxic and said he would bring a coordinated European position to Washington. France’s Macron celebrated the judicial check on executive power. The UK, which had agreed to a 10% rate, now faces a new and higher baseline with no clear negotiating path.
With 90% of the $130 billion in tariffs already collected absorbed by US businesses and consumers, the new 15% rate threatens to further strain household budgets. Exemptions apply to critical minerals, metals, pharmaceuticals, and USMCA-compliant goods. The 150-day clock has started, and the next legal and political battle over US trade policy is already underway.