Trump ‘ashamed’ of justices for opposing his tariffs

President Donald Trump slammed the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday for striking down global tariffs he imposed using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

“I'm ashamed of certain members of the court, absolutely ashamed, for not having the courage to do what's right for our country,” the president said during a White House news conference.

He praised Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh for dissenting in the court’s 6-3 decision, saying he was “very proud of those justices.”

He later added that the decision was an embarrassment to the families of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, both of whom Trump nominated to the high court and who joined the majority in opposing his tariffs.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the court’s majority opinion that the president “asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration and scope. In light of the breadth, history and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorization to exercise it.”

The president said during the news conference that he plans to invoke other federal laws to impose tariffs.

Trump also claimed, without evidence, that it was “his opinion” that the high court “has been swayed by foreign interests.” When reporters asked him to expand on that and provide evidence, the president said he thought “that foreign interests are represented by people that I believe have undue influence, have a lot of influence, over the Supreme Court, whether it's through fear or respect or friendships.”

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