Trump warns he has other methods to get around Supreme Court ruling on tariffs

Ahead of a crucial Supreme Court decision on tariffs, US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that he could still find ways to impose levies even if the Supreme Court restricts his authority. In coming weeks, the court is expected to decide whether Trump violated federal law by using emergency powers to launch a series of sweeping tariffs during his second term.

The US President has repeatedly imposed -- and reinstated -- tariffs on trading partners since returning to office in January, raising prices on goods ranging from appliances to lumber and electrical parts.

A coalition of businesses and trade groups challenged the policy, arguing that Trump misused the Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by treating it as a blanket tool to levy tariffs.

Trump pointed to the upcoming Supreme Court opinion in a Sunday post on Truth Social, arguing that he has alternative options.

"While the United States has other methods of charging TARIFFS against foreign countries, many of whom have, for YEARS, TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF OUR NATION, the current method of Tariffing before the United States Supreme Court is far more DIRECT, LESS CUMBERSOME, and MUCH FASTER," he wrote.

Trump also claimed presidential authority over national security and foreign policy, saying he had "settled 8 Wars in 10 months because of the rights clearly given to the President of the United States."

BESSENT'S PLAN B TO KEEP TARIFFS IN PLACE

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been preparing a plan B that would protect Trump's ability to pressure foreign imports even if the original tariffs are weakened or struck down.

Bessent's emerging "plan B" mixes lesser-known statutory authorities with a tougher measures on economic competition.

"We can recreate the exact tariff structure with 301s, with 232s, with the—I think they're called 122s," he said, referring to three separate statutory authorities governing trade actions.

Section 301 addresses unfair foreign trade practices, Section 232 allows tariffs on imports that threaten national security, and Section 122 lets the president impose short-term tariffs or quotas during balance-of-payments crises.

The Treasury Secretary warned that striking down the tariffs could trigger "massive refunds" to companies that had paid them. He said the government might be forced to return large sums already counted as federal revenue, creating a fiscal and administrative burden on the Treasury.

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