President Trump isn’t backing down. Not to the Supreme Court. Not to anyone.
One day after the high court struck down his signature tariff policy in a 6-3 ruling, Trump raised the global tariff rate to 15%—the maximum allowed under a different law.
The message was clear.
From Fox News:
Based on a thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued yesterday, after MANY months of contemplation, by the United States Supreme Court, please let this statement serve to represent that 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.
Trump raising global tariffs to 15% after Supreme Court defeat https://t.co/x3hNIekozz pic.twitter.com/LTBkN3XuHk
— New York Post (@nypost) February 21, 2026
The Supreme Court had ruled Friday that Trump’s original tariffs—imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act—exceeded presidential authority. But Trump had a backup plan ready.
Within hours of the ruling, Trump signed a proclamation imposing a 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. By Saturday, he raised it to 15%.
🇺🇸 President Donald Trump has raised the global duty on imports into the United States to 15 percent, doubling down on his promise to maintain his aggressive tariff policy a day after the Supreme Court ruled much of it illegal.
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 22, 2026
➡️ https://t.co/4qG0qdDHey pic.twitter.com/kspfcdsL1T
Section 122 gives the president authority to impose tariffs up to 15% for 150 days, at which point Congress must act. Trump’s team made clear they’ve been preparing alternative legal strategies for months.
Trump called the Supreme Court ruling “deeply disappointing” and said he was “ashamed” of certain members of the court—including conservative justices who voted against him.
But rather than retreat, he doubled down.
During a White House press briefing Friday, Trump announced his administration would “determine and issue the new and legally permissible Tariffs” in the coming months.
The tariff battle is far from over. Trump has made it his mission to reshape America’s trade relationships, and one court ruling won’t stop him.
