European powers moved quickly Saturday to organize a unified response after President Trump announced a 15% tariff on all global imports, one day after the Supreme Court struck down his previous tariff authority. Germany’s Chancellor and France’s President both called for stability and reciprocity, signaling that the transatlantic relationship was entering a tense new phase.
Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, allowing up to 15% tariffs for 150 days before congressional approval is required. He announced the move on Truth Social within hours of the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling that his IEEPA-based tariffs were unconstitutional. The president described the new tariff as both legally valid and immediately effective, though legal experts warned it too could face court challenges.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called tariff unpredictability “the biggest poison” for transatlantic economies and announced plans to fly to Washington with a coordinated European position. He expressed hope that the Supreme Court ruling would ease the burden on German companies, but urged the American government to recognize that tariffs harm all parties equally. French President Macron took a sharper tone, using the moment to celebrate the role of judicial oversight in democratic governance.
Trump, meanwhile, reserved his sharpest words for the Supreme Court itself. He called the ruling “ridiculous” and “anti-American,” attacked justices in the majority as “fools and lapdogs,” and described his own nominees Barrett and Gorsuch as an “embarrassment to their families.” He praised dissenters Kavanaugh, Thomas, and Alito as courageous and patriotic voices for the country’s economic interests.
The UK, which had previously secured a 10% tariff arrangement with the US, now faces fresh uncertainty under the new 15% baseline. Research shows that 90% of the more than $130 billion in tariffs collected have been paid by American businesses and consumers. Exemptions under the new rate include critical minerals, metals, pharmaceuticals, and compliant goods from Canada and Mexico.