Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent SOUNDS OFF After SCOTUS Ruling — “Court Did NOT Strike Down Trump Tariffs” — Vows Administration Will Invoke Alternative Legal Powers to Keep America First Trade Agenda Alive

The radical left, globalist elites, and their sycophants in the mainstream media thought they had finally scored a fatal blow against President Donald Trump’s historic America First economic agenda.

Following a highly publicized Supreme Court ruling on presidential tariff authorities, the fake news complex immediately went into overdrive, falsely declaring that the highest court in the land had “dismantled” the Trump administration’s cornerstone trade policies.

They were wrong. And Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent just stepped up to the podium at the Economic Club of Dallas to completely vaporize their narrative.

Bessent:
I would also like to take a moment to address today’s Supreme Court ruling, and I would note that I did not change a single word in my speech post-ruling. President Trump will always put our national security and Americans first.

As I have said before, the president has multiple tools in his toolbox. Let’s be clear about what today’s ruling was and what it wasn’t.

Despite the misplaced gloating from Democrats, ill-informed media outlets, and the very people who gutted our industrial base, the Court did not rule against President Trump’s tariffs.

Six justices simply ruled that IEEPA authorities cannot be used to raise even $1 of revenue. This administration will invoke alternative legal authorities to replace the IEEPA tariffs.

We will be leveraging Section 232 and Section 301 tariff authorities that have been validated through thousands of legal challenges.

Treasury’s estimates show that the use of Section 122 authority, combined with potentially enhanced Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs, will result in virtually unchanged tariff revenue in 2026.

WATCH:

JUST IN: Secretary Bessent SOUNDS OFF after today’s SCOTUS ruling

“The Court did NOT rule against President Trump’s tariffs. Six justices simply ruled that IEEPA authorities cannot be used … This administration will invoke alternative legal authorities to replace the IEEPA… pic.twitter.com/TrBBkPJX0g

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 20, 2026

The ruling in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump determined that the 1977 sanctions law does not grant the executive branch authority to levy tariffs during peacetime emergencies.

However, critically:

• The Court’s decision only impacts tariffs imposed under IEEPA
• Tariffs issued under Section 232 national security authorities remain intact
• Trade enforcement actions under Section 301 are unaffected

In fact, tariffs imposed under Section 232, including duties on steel and aluminum, were enacted under separate statutory authority and remain legally valid.

President Trump has already announced a temporary global tariff under Section 122, which allows duties of up to 15% for 150 days without procedural requirements in response to serious trade imbalances.

Meanwhile, the administration is launching new Section 301 investigations and revisiting Section 232 authorities to impose more targeted or expanded tariffs going forward.

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