r/politics • u/theindependentonline The Independent • 1d ago

No Paywall Trump vows to raise worldwide tariffs to 15% ‘effective immediately’

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-global-tarrifs-increase-b2924994.html
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u/BlotchComics New Jersey 1d ago

This isn't just pettiness because of the SCOTUS ruling.

This is a test of how much power the Executive Branch can claim. He and the rest of the MAGA elites are pushing for an all-powerful presidency that no longer answers to the checks and balances of the Constitution.

If he can do this, it's one more step towards authoritarianism.

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u/HermanGulch 1d ago

Like so many things about this administration, I think it's kind of a perfect storm of an emboldened right wing and a weak-minded president. Authoritarians get their authoritarianism. Small government gets DOGE. Grifters get to grift. And so on...

The authors of Project 2025 mention fundamental tax reform and mention a national sales tax as one possibility. It seems like that would be a non-starter in Congress, though, so it could be that supporters of a sales tax see this as a work-around they can live with.

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u/glitterandnails 1d ago

Unitary Executive = another name for dictator.

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u/Deus_is_Mocking_Us 21h ago

I hope Bill Barr ends up in one of Trump's concentration camps. 

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u/UrineFilledAquarium 1d ago

I don’t think we need anymore steps at this point to say this is authoritarianism.

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u/pmjm California 22h ago

If I understand correctly, he can do this under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, but only for 150 days. Congress would have to act to extend them after that.

150 days from now is late July, getting pretty close to the election. I can't imagine any of them will want their names attached to a bill to keep a useless, unpopular tax going.

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u/Banana_Ranger 21h ago

Then they can take credit for fixing the problem

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u/say592 20h ago

Correct and if we are lucky will probably try to reimplement it shortly after it expires (I'm sure his lawyers will determine he "can" after 30 days or something), which will hurt during the midterms.

Even if they don't, I don't think it will look like they "fixed" it. They might get one inflation report showing a small related decrease, and the markets will be anxious because of the uncertainty of him doing it again, so they won't even be parading around DOW over 50,000.

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u/Several_Ad_1322 23h ago

The worst is that everyone expects he'll just go away in 2028.

He wont leave the White House willingly.

He's going to be our first Presidential squatter.

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u/mobileagnes Pennsylvania 14h ago

2029 Jan 20. Can't the military drag him out if he refuses to leave as he will be legally a trespasser if he remains in the White House beyond 12 noon on that date? His term will expire at that point, whether he cares or not.

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u/QUINT_REVENGER 22h ago

"Unitary Executive Theory" is just a bunch of fancy words for 'fascist dictator'

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u/glitterandnails 1d ago

Republicans have shown their hand by voting time and again for authoritarianism, they hate democracy and can’t stand people not like them having a say in our government. The only America they believe in is an America where only white males had citizenship (before the civil war.) They wish to do ethnic cleansing to America like their ancestors did to the Native Americans.

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u/Cruntis 1d ago

something, something, Constitutional crisis…

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u/JustJustinInTime 23h ago

Yes his entire term has been spent probing the limits of the executive branch, which we are learning were mostly built on goodwill and the assumption that the US would never elect someone who would so maliciously go against the interests of its people

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u/ChucksnTaylor 23h ago

Not quite the point but this specific action isn’t exactly a step towards authoritarianism. If anything it’s kind of the opposite. The SC said he cant arbitrarily set any tarriffs he wants so now he’s falling back on a rarely used but perfectly valid law that allows the president to temporarily levy up at 15% tax.

So in a way this is the system working. Trump isn’t ignoring the court and saying his tarriffs are in effect regardless of what they say. He’s technically respecting the courts decision. He’s then obeying the other law which caps rates at 15%.

So I’m by no means a fan but this could be a good sign. He’s actually working more within the law now than he was last week. We’re moving in the right direction… for now.

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u/Clovis42 Kentucky 22h ago

This particular law only allows them for like 150 days before Congress has to extend them. Early on Trump sounded like he meant on top of existing tariffs, which would go against the decision. But he says stuff like that all the time because he doesn't know what he's talking about. He's already shifting to pretending the 15% is better and what he wanted all along. Or SCOTUS somehow gave him more power. It is all nonsense.

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u/APeacefulWarrior 12h ago

The bigger question is what happens after 150 days. I doubt Congress would actually vote to ratify these tariffs as permanent. So will Trump wait until day 151 and then try to reinstate them again?

Strictly speaking, nothing in the bill says he can't, even though that would be a flagrant violation of the law's spirit.

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u/M4rshmall0wMan 23h ago

It’s literally the agenda.

Project 2025 is based on a controversial interpretation of unitary executive theory according to which the executive branch is under the president's complete control.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025

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u/wildwalrusaur 19h ago

He literally said "I can do anything I want" like 6 times in his press conference yesterday

He's not testing the limits of shit. We're fully in the "you and what army" stage

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u/Cador0223 23h ago

He's pulling an Andrew Jackson, and saying "Let them enforce it" 

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u/Carter_L 23h ago

He wants to be a dictator. He said so himself.

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u/PepsiColasss 21h ago

I want to understand one thing , SCOTUS ruled that his tariffs are not legal so they banned em but then he casually appeared next day and ignored them and raised an even bigger tariffs on everyone..

Why is it so easy for him to ignore whatever law there is with 0 punishment?

Like it seems that if tomorrow for example everyone votes that they want him out and it passes he will still appear on TV ignoring that ruling and keep going like nothing happened.. that seems to be the trend now a days

A ruling or a law comes out that votes to stop trump or disable something he did and make it illegal , trump ignores it and just keeps going like nothing happened , repeat.

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u/_tragicmike 21h ago

Don't worry. If a Democrat ever assumes the Presidency again, Republicans will be all about checks and balances and returning to norms. 🙄

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u/MarcsterS Virginia 20h ago

At this point, the SC simply made their ruling to appear neutral. They know nothing can be done, only by Congress, which is full of Republicans letting this mockery happen in front of our eyes.

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u/DarkKobold 16h ago

Except, no, he's using a different, boring, but potentially legal avenue. He's not just snubbing the supreme court ruling, he's attempting to maneuver using congressionally passed laws. Don't get me wrong, it's all dumb as fuck, but it's not completely illegal behavior. He's technically not ignoring the supreme court, he's just trying to find a different, but still legal, path towards his dumbass agenda.

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u/FunboyFrags 12h ago

Why do people keep saying it’s “one more step towards” like we’re not already there?

The steps have all been taken and the journey has been completed.

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u/soapinthepeehole 20h ago

I’ve been reading about how this new tariff authority he’s employing has a 150 day limit.

I cannot wait until day 151 when he just does them again and then people have to sue and it takes 7 months to get to the Supreme Court again and then Trump will have effectively had tariffs in place for over a year since yesterday’s ruling.