Trump Prepares New Surprises for the World, Warning of Fresh Turmoil
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – United States President Donald Trump has claimed to possess “absolute authority” to impose new tariffs on imported goods, despite the US Supreme Court previously ruling that several tariff policies he enacted last year are unlawful.
In a post on his Truth Social media platform on Sunday (15 March 2026), Trump sharply attacked the court ruling, arguing that the decision harms US interests.
“Our Supreme Court has made these countries very happy, but as the Court has shown, I have the absolute right to impose tariffs in other forms, and have already started doing so,” Trump wrote, as cited by The Guardian.
Trump also levelled harsh criticism at America’s highest judicial body.
“This incompetent and embarrassing Supreme Court is not the Supreme Court of the United States as designed by our great founders. They are hurting our country, and will continue to do so,” he said.
Previously in February, the US Supreme Court ruled that the National Emergencies Act of 1977 could not serve as a legal basis for several global tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. The law was originally designed to address national emergencies, not broad trade policy.
In response to that ruling, the Trump administration has attempted to overhaul its trade strategy in recent weeks. The US government subsequently imposed temporary 10% tariffs on imported goods from most countries using a different legal basis: Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.
However, those temporary tariffs apply for a maximum of 150 days and will expire in July. Trump had previously promised to raise these tariffs to 15%, but that plan has not yet been implemented.
Meanwhile, US trade officials launched a series of new investigations last week that could potentially pave the way for imposing permanent tariffs as replacements for those struck down by the courts.
Trump’s statement comes ahead of several important economic diplomacy agenda items. US officials are scheduled to meet with representatives from Mexico to discuss the future of the trilateral United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) alongside Canada.
Trump is also planned to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March, following economic tensions between the two countries throughout the past year.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump even hinted at the possibility of postponing that meeting. He has also urged several countries, including China, to send ships to the Middle East to help reopen the strategically important shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite facing legal pressure from the courts, Trump has maintained an aggressive stance on trade policy. Earlier this month, he even threatened to sever all trade relations with Spain after that government refused to grant permission for the use of two joint military bases in southern Spain for US military operations against Iran.