With the Supreme Court about to hear a landmark case on President Donald Trump’s tariffs, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that there are other options in case of defeat.
The high court is set Wednesday to decide whether Trump exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to enact sweeping duties on U.S. trading partners.
At stake is the leeway presidents have to wield over trade measures as a tool of economic policy. Bessent expressed confidence in a CNBC “Squawk Box” interview that the administration will prevail, but has additional outlets it can use in case the decision goes the other way.
“There are lots of other authorities that can be used, but IEEPA is by far the cleanest, and it gives the U.S. and the president the most negotiating authority,” he said. “The others are more cumbersome, but they can be effective,”
Specifically, Bessent sited Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which provides a justification on grounds of national security, as well as Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which regulates unfair trading practices.
