Trump mercilessly mocked over global tariff meltdown
by ALYSSA GUZMAN, US NEWS REPORTER · Mail OnlinePresident Donald Trump has been mercilessly mocked by Emmanuel Macron and Gavin Newsom for his meltdown in response to the Supreme Court striking down his tariff policy.
Trump branded the Justices 'unpatriotic' in a bitter rant after they ruled that he overstepped with the sweeping reciprocal tariffs.
The president then signed an executive order introducing a ten percent global tariff citing Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act.
On Saturday, he announced he was increasing the levy to 15 percent, the maximum allowed under the statute in another fiery tirade against the 'un-American' justices.
By contrast, France's president celebrated the decision and appeared to delight in Trump's defeat.
'It is not bad to have a Supreme Court, and therefore, the rule of law,' he told journalists while attending the annual agricultural salon in Paris.
'It is good to have power and counterweights to power in democracies.'
Meanwhile longtime rival Newsom wasted no time in mocking the president over the ruling.
His press office took to X to post an AI-generated image of Trump as a pig crying with a 'rejected' Supreme Court ruling in front of him.
'Poor piggy,' his office captioned the post.
At a press conference on Friday, Newsom said: 'Donald Trump is increasingly unhinged. Even his hand-picked Supreme Court said what he was doing was lawless. The tariffs were illegal from day one.'
He demanded the money taken out of Americans' pockets due to the tariffs should be 'returned immediately' stating that he 'has an obligation'.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also sent Trump's office an invoice for $8.6billion in tariff refunds, demanding his constituents get their money back.
'If you do not comply, we will pursue further action,' he threatened the Trump Administration in a letter attached to the invoice.
However, Trump - infuriated by the high court's ruling on Friday - ordered an immediate ten percent tariff on all imports, in addition to any existing tariffs, citing a different law as the basis.
On Saturday, he bumped it to 15 percent - the highest the law will allow him to do.
The legislation has never been imposed before, making it a historic moment for the Trump Administration. It allows him to impose the levy for 150 days, although it could face legal challenges.
The president claimed that he had tried to 'be a good boy' in dealing with the court, however he has since gone scorched earth.
'I was very modest in my ask of other countries and businesses, because I wanted to be very well-behaved,' he said. 'I understand how they are very easily swayed. I want to be a good boy.'
He made it clear he is going to war with Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, who he branded 'unpatriotic' and a 'disloyal' member of the Court, following the ruling.
Although he is not undermining the Court's decision, he suggested the conservative justices owed him some loyalty. The job of a Supreme Court justice is to uphold the Constitution, not party values.
He took particular issue with Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch, both of whom he appointed.
The Supreme Court ruled that Trump issuing tariffs without the permission of Congress was unconstitutional.
It said President Trump had exceeded his authority by imposing his 'Liberation Day' tariffs last year without Congressional approval.
Trump said he was 'ashamed' of the ruling, adding that America's highest court had been 'swayed by foreign interests'.
Speaking at an emergency press conference at the White House last night, Trump said the judges who threw out his plan were 'a disgrace to our country'.
He said that 'foreign countries that have been ripping us off for years are ecstatic' at the Court's ruling.
In a blunt warning, he added: 'They are dancing in the streets – but they won't be dancing for long.'
Section 122 is meant to be used for short-term emergencies, not for the length of presidential terms or for economic policy.
Trump said in his post on Saturday his administration would 'determine and issue the new and legally permissible tariffs' in the coming months.
Section 122 limits how high Trump can raise the tariffs, as well as how long he can.
The policy was issued under President Richard Nixon, Axios reported.
Congress approved it as a way to avoid 'depreciation of the dollar in foreign exchange markets' and to correct 'an international balance-of-payments disequilibrium,' which was Nixon's goal.
There are a few other Sections Trump could use to continue to carry out his tariff plan.
Section 301, which Trump used in his first term, allows the president to issue tariffs against 'discriminatory' foreign trade practices and opens up an investigation by US Trade Representatives.
Trump used this law to impose tariffs on Chinese imports in his first term.
The president has also used Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which allows him to restrict imports that could threaten national security.
He used the policy for steel and aluminum.
Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 also allows him to use tariffs against countries that discriminate 'against the commerce of the United States,' according to Axios.