President Trump raises US import duties to 15% after Supreme Court defeat, escalating global trade tensions and domestic criticism.

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump (pic) raised the global duty on imports into the United States to 15%.

The move on Saturday doubled down on his trade policy a day after the Supreme Court ruled much of it illegal.

Trump announced the hike on his Truth Social platform following a review of the court’s “extraordinarily anti-American decision”.

He stated the administration was raising levies “to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level”.

The Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling on Friday rejected the president’s authority to impose tariffs under a 1977 economic emergency powers act.

Trump had initially responded by announcing a new 10% global levy using a different legal avenue.

He also launched a personal attack on the conservative justices in the majority, slamming their “disloyalty”.

The ruling marked a major political setback for Trump’s signature economic policy.

Saturday’s announcement is sure to provoke further uncertainty in the global trade order.

It is the latest move in a process that has seen multiple tariff levels set and altered over the past year.

Several countries are studying the Supreme Court ruling and Trump’s subsequent announcements.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged Trump to treat all countries equally.

“I want to tell the US President Donald Trump that we don’t want a new Cold War,” Lula told reporters.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would formulate a joint European response before travelling to Washington.

On the domestic front, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said it was time for Trump to “listen to the Supreme Court”.

The new duty is temporary and allowable for only 150 days.

Exemptions remain for sectors under separate probes and goods under the US-Mexico-Canada agreement.

Friday’s court ruling did not impact sector-specific duties on steel, aluminum and other goods.

It nevertheless marked Trump’s biggest defeat at the Supreme Court since returning to office.

Trump praised the three conservative justices who voted to uphold his authority.

He thanked them “for their strength and wisdom, and love of our country”.

The president alleged the majority had been “swayed by foreign interests”.

Shares on Wall Street rose modestly Friday after the expected decision.

Business groups largely cheered the ruling for providing “much-needed certainty”.

The Supreme Court’s ruling did not address whether companies would receive refunds.

Trump said he expected years of litigation on the refund issue.

 The Sun Malaysia