President Donald Trump has become the target of online mockery after unveiling a new global tariff plan in the wake of a Supreme Court decision on Friday (February 20).
The Supreme Court ruled that Trump had overstepped his authority by implementing the tariffs, noting that such measures are typically tied to a national emergency.
After the 6-3 ruling, Trump said he was ‘ashamed’ of certain justices, before moving quickly to announce another sweeping tariff initiative.
At a press conference, Trump said he would introduce a 10 percent tariff on all goods imported into the United States.
“We have alternatives – great alternatives and we’ll be a lot stronger for it,” he said.
He also stated the administration would turn to a rarely invoked provision — Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act — to reinstate tariffs in some form.
But by Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social that the rate would rise to 15 percent, the highest level permitted under the law.
“Based on a thorough, detailed, and complete review of the ridiculous, poorly written, and extraordinarily anti-American decision on Tariffs issued yesterday, after MANY months of contemplation, by the United States Supreme Court, please let this statement serve to represent that I, as President of the United States of America, will be, effective immediately, raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff on Countries, many of which have been ‘ripping’ the U.S. off for decades, without retribution (until I came along!), to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level,” he wrote.
Global reaction continued to build, with French President Emmanuel Macron commenting during the annual agricultural salon in Paris.
“It is not bad to have a Supreme Court, and therefore, the rule of law.
“It is good to have power and counterweights to power in democracies.”
In the US, California Governor Gavin Newsom also weighed in on the developments.
On X, the Gavin Newsom Press Office account shared an AI-generated image depicting Trump as a pig appearing to cry over a ‘tariffs rejected’ decision.
“Poor piggy,” the caption reads.
Newsom also posted on his own X account, framing the tariff increase as a direct hit to Americans.
“Donald Trump just announced a NEW 15% TAX on the American people.
“He does not care about you.”
At a Friday press conference, Newsom went further, describing Trump as ‘unhinged’ and pointing to the court’s ruling as evidence that the original tariff push was unlawful.
“Donald Trump is increasingly unhinged. Even his hand-picked Supreme Court said what he was doing was lawless. The tariffs were illegal from day one.”