An outraged President Donald Trump ranted and raved at Georgia voters over his tariff policy during a speech at a steel company hours before the U.S. Supreme Court declared most of the levies illegal, but the president’s fury ramped up even further when he learned about the court’s decision, pushing Trump into full-blown meltdown mode.
An angry Trump, in a visit to the state’s 14th Congressional District on Thursday to show support for prosecutor Clay Fuller, who is one of more than a dozen candidates vying to replace former congresswoman and now bitter Trump enemy Marjorie Taylor Greene, blasted the court hours before justices even handed down the ruling on Friday.
A screaming and sweaty Trump told supporters, who had gathered at a steel company in Rome, Georgia, in the northwest part of the state, that “everybody would be bankrupt” without his tariffs.
“Everybody, the whole country would be bankrupt, and I have to wait for this decision,” an irate Trump raged, complaining about the case that’s been before the high court for months.
Social media users rejected Trump’s argument, with reactions ranging from “STFU!!” to others wondering about unleashing such vitriol on a small number of supporters.
“Why is he yelling to an audience of less than 100. Maybe 50.”
But he wasn’t done yet.
“I’ve been waiting forever, forever, and the language is clear that I have the right to do it as president. I have the right to put tariffs on for national security purposes, countries that have been ripping us off for years,” a blustering President stormed.
Except that’s not true. Trump bypassed Congress last April to enact sweeping tariffs through executive orders on almost every U.S. trading partner, claiming he had the right to do so under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
In a major blow to the Trump administration, the Supreme Court disagreed and, in a 6-3 ruling Friday morning, according to news reports, determined Trump, in using the IEEPA, exceeded his authority in levying tariffs, which are essentially taxes on Americans and U.S. businesses because they drive up the costs of imported goods.
Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the power to levy tariffs, not the president. And under IEEPA, the president can only “regulate” imports and exports in a national emergency in responding to an “extraordinary foreign threat.”
Trump was attending the annual National Governors’ Association breakfast at the White House and was speaking to the state officials when he was handed a note about the ruling, according to NBC News.
The president unleashed a profanity-filled tirade against the court, according to at least one reporter, and called the ruling “a disgrace” before storming out of the room.
“Apparently, the gov breakfast had been going well; they were working together, and then President Trump became enraged. He started ranting about the decision, not only calling it a disgrace, but started attacking the courts at one point, saying, these ‘f—-ng courts,” CNN senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes said, according to Raw Story.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins also confirmed Trump’s reaction and said on X that he reportedly has a backup plan.
According to The Associated Press, Trump said Friday afternoon that he would impose a 10 percent global tariff. Although the details of the alternative plan are unclear, the AP reports that Trump will implement the new tariffs under a law that limits them to 150 days. The high court struck down only the tariffs Trump enacted under IEEPA.
Trump used the IEEPA to impose levies on America’s three biggest trading partners: Mexico, Canada, and China, claiming to target “specific products that threaten national security.” He slapped “reciprocal” tariffs of up to 50 percent on imports from dozens of countries, while hitting nearly everyone else with a blanket 10 percent tariff, again invoking the IEEPA as his legal cover.
A red-faced Trump appeared flustered, irritated, and at times downright irate during a press conference at the White House on Friday afternoon. He lashed out at a CNN reporter and refused to answer questions from the outlet, dubbing it “fake news.”
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“Trump is melting down. One minute he’s raging, then he’s whining, then he’s threatening, then he sounds like he’s about to cry. Rambling off on tangents. Totally unhinged, manic,” wrote MeidasTouch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski on Threads.
“He has the emotional control of a spoiled 8-year-old whose over cream fell off the cone. Bondi failed him again,” another person replied.
Trump opened his remarks by venting frustration at the justices who voted to strike down his tariffs, including two of his own nominees, Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch.
Calling the decision “deeply disappointing,” he said he was “absolutely ashamed” of certain members of the court, accusing them of lacking the courage to “do what’s right for our country.”
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He went on to single out what he described as “the Democrats on the court,” labeling them “a disgrace to our nation” and claiming their votes were predetermined. “They’re an automatic no,” Trump said. “No matter how strong your case is, it’s a no.”
Trump heaped praise on Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Brett Kavanaugh, the three dissenters in the Supreme Court ruling that knocked down his global tariffs.
He thanked them “for their strength and wisdom and love of our country,” then lashed out at the decision itself, claiming foreign nations “that have been ripping us off for years” were celebrating the outcome.
“They’re ecstatic. They’re dancing in the streets,” Trump said, before warning the celebration would be short-lived. “They won’t be dancing for long, that I can assure you.”
