President Donald Trump lashed out with a string of profanities on Friday after the Supreme Court rejected his extensive tariff program in a 6-3 ruling. His frustration bubbled over during a White House breakfast with the nation’s governors as he learned that the decision undermined a vital part of his economic agenda.
Senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes reported on X that Trump “became enraged” during the National Governors Association breakfast. At one point, he criticized the decision and the court, referring to “these f–king courts,” according to a source familiar with the situation.
The Supreme Court determined that Trump went beyond his authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a law from 1977 typically for sanctions and emergency measures, to impose broad tariffs without clear support from Congress. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, stated that IEEPA’s power to “regulate … importation” does not cover the authority to impose tariffs.
Reuters reported that after the ruling, Trump condemned the decision as “terrible” and “totally defective.” He expressed shame over certain members of the court and stated that “other alternatives” were still available. He announced a new 10% global tariff under a different legal basis.
This decision marked a notable setback for Trump, especially given the Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative majority. Roberts was joined by conservative Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, both appointed by Trump, along with the three liberal justices, according to Reuters.
The dissent, authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh and joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, noted that the ruling did not necessarily prevent the administration from implementing similar tariffs under other laws.
The high court’s ruling comes at a delicate time for the White House. Trump has used tariffs as both an economic tool and a foreign policy strategy since returning to office in January 2025. Reuters mentioned that tariffs have been central to a global trade war that has strained relationships with trading partners, unsettled markets, and created uncertainty in the economy.
This ruling also casts doubt on the status of tariff revenue already collected. Economists from the Penn-Wharton Budget Model estimated that over $175 billion had been collected under the IEEPA-based tariffs, leaving questions about how and when any refunds might happen.
Trump’s outburst at the governors’ breakfast highlighted the immediate political impact. The Daily Beast reported that Democratic governors Wes Moore of Maryland and Jared Polis of Colorado attended the meeting. California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for refunds related to what he labeled an “illegal” tariff program.
For Trump, the stakes go beyond policy; they are also personal. According to Reuters, he accused the court of being influenced by “foreign interests” and vowed that countries “dancing in the streets” over the ruling “won’t be dancing for long.”
The tariffs have been important for the president, particularly when it comes to negotiating with other nations. He has used it as leverage in dealing with both allies and competitors such as China.
As recently reported, many tariffs have led to higher prices being passed on to Americans anad the cost of living has been a sticking point for Trump and has blowbacked on the GOP, who are facing a tough midterms.
