TRUMP IS AN IDIOT, THINKS HE CAN MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN BY TAXING IMPORT CONSUMPTION AND IMPORTED PRODUCTION INPUTS
IF HE DOESNT THINK IT WILL MAGA, HE THINKS HE CAN BOMB OTHER COUNTRIES MORE WITH THE MONEY.
HIS ECONOMIC PLANS SUCK. JUST LOOK AT THE BOTTOM BOLDED PARAGRAPH - HE CANT FORMULATE A COHESIVE PLAN THAT WORKS TO SAVE HIS A…ADMINISTRATION
Background:
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariff regime in a historic 6-3 decision on February 20, 2026, ruling that the executive branch overstepped its constitutional boundaries. The Court determined that the power to levy taxes and tariffs rests explicitly with Congress. This ruling triggered a massive financial unwind, forcing the federal government to begin issuing more than $130 billion in refunds to impacted importers.
Following the high court's decision, the Trump administration attempted multiple stopgap workarounds to keep import protections alive, including a secondary 10% tariff that was subsequently struck down by the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) in May 2026. Despite these back-to-back judicial defeats, the administration launched a fresh wave of tariffs under alternative statutory authority in late July 2026.
So, here we go, below, with attempt number 3, which should again be struck down:
WASHINGTON, July 24 - The United States on Friday imposed new tariffs of 10% and 12.5% on goods from 60 trading partners, including the EU and China, alleging those countries failed to curb imports made by forced labor, just as a temporary 10% global tariff expired.
The move is the White House's first step in efforts to rebuild President Donald Trump's near-global tariff wall after the U.S. Supreme Court in February struck down his "reciprocal" duties of 10% to 50% imposed last year under a national emergencies law to try to shrink the U.S. trade deficit.
New Tariffs as Old Ones Expire
Trump's temporary 10% global tariff expired at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Friday (0401 GMT) after 150 days. The new duties took effect at that exact same moment, with goods in transit exempted until 12:01 a.m. EDT on July 28.
The New Tariff Structure
Announced by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the new regime invents a new two-tiered system covering roughly 99.4% of all U.S. imports.
The tier assigned to a nation depends on its enforcement of anti-forced labor practices:
Tariff Rate of 10.0%
is Imposed on nations with active domestic statutes or commitments against forced labor, including Canada, Mexico, India, and the United Kingdom.
Tariff Rate of 12.5%
is Imposed on nations deemed to have failed in curbing forced labor within their supply chains, including China (and Hong Kong), Australia, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and the European Union.
Legal and Strategic Pivots:
The new tariffs represent an administrative shift to reconstruct a near-global trade wall after major legal setbacks:
Bypassing the Courts: In February, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down broad, open-ended global tariffs originally enacted under emergency economic powers, forcing the government to issue massive refund checks to importers.
Legally Durable Foundation: Rather than utilizing emergency powers, the administration enacted these new duties under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. According to trade experts, Section 301 has historically survived court challenges, allowing the tariffs to remain in place indefinitely.
Product Exemptions: To limit immediate market shocks, several categories are exempt, including oil, gas, fertilizers, certain electronics, and agricultural products. Goods already subject to existing national security provisions (such as steel and aluminum) are also excluded.
International and Domestic Response
The unilateral trade strategy has drawn sharp rebukes globally and domestically:
Global Protests: Foreign officials have voiced immediate opposition. The Australian Trade Ministry called the duties "completely unjustified," while the Chinese Foreign Ministry warned that escalated trade wars serve no party's interests. European Union officials expressed a "negative surprise" but noted the 10% rate aligned with previous trade agreement caps.
Economic Revenue Shortfalls: Projections by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) show that while the package will generate around $950 billion by 2036, it leaves a 40% revenue shortfall compared to original administration goals intended to pay down the national debt, following the Supreme Court's prior invalidations.
More Action Pending: The administration is pursuing separate trade actions, including a scheduled 50% tariff on select Canadian imports and an ongoing secondary investigation into global manufacturing "excess capacity".
