WASHINGTON (AFP) — International trading partners offered measured responses Friday to a landmark US Supreme Court decision that invalidated President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariff authority, while simultaneously bracing for his immediate pledge to impose alternative import taxes.
The conservative-majority court determined Trump overstepped presidential authority by invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify broad tariffs. However, the ruling preserves sector-specific duties affecting steel, aluminum, and various other goods that remain central to ongoing trade disputes.
Within hours of the decision, Trump announced intentions to implement a comprehensive 10% tariff on all US imports under separate executive authority, ensuring continued uncertainty for America’s trading partners.
Canada’s International Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc characterized the court’s decision as validation that the original tariffs were “unjustified,” though noted that the most economically damaging sector-specific measures remain intact. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce warned against interpreting the ruling as a fundamental policy shift, predicting “new, blunter mechanisms” might emerge from the White House.
European Union trade spokesman Olof Gill indicated the 27-nation bloc was conducting thorough analysis of the legal development while emphasizing the critical need for “stability and predictability” in transatlantic commerce. France’s Economy Minister Roland Lescure observed that the ruling demonstrated tariff policies were “at the very least, open to debate,” while German officials reported being in “close contact” with American counterparts regarding implementation changes.
Britain expressed confidence that its “privileged trading position” with the United States would continue despite the legal upheaval, referencing recent bilateral agreements that reduced steel and aluminum tariffs significantly.
Mexico, which directs approximately 80% of its exports to the US market, adopted a cautious stance regarding Trump’s newly announced 10% blanket tariff. Economic Minister Marcelo Ebrard stated officials would carefully evaluate potential impacts before determining appropriate response measures.
The developments underscore how Trump’s aggressive use of executive power has fundamentally transformed America’s trade relationships, leaving international partners navigating an increasingly unpredictable economic landscape.