Trump Has This ‘Backup Plan’ If Supreme Court Strikes Down His Tariffs, Adviser Says

ByAlison Durkee,

Forbes Staff.

President Donald Trump has a “backup plan” to impose 10% tariffs across the board if the Supreme Court strikes down his higher “Liberation Day” tariffs, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Friday, as the high court could issue a ruling on the president’s signature economic policy as soon as next week.

The Supreme Court is deliberating on the legality of Trump’s sweeping tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), including his tariffs imposed on China, Mexico and Canada and his separate “Liberation Day” tariffs on nearly all other nations.

If the court rules those tariffs are invalid, the White House has a “backup plan that’s really solid,” Hassett told Fox Business on Friday, saying Trump would immediately impose tariffs of 10% “to make up most of the room” from the IEEPA tariffs being struck down.