President Donald Trump on Friday reportedly appeared "visibly frustrated" after being informed of the Supreme Court's decision striking down his tariffs.
According to a post on X by Reuters' Jarrett Renshaw, Trump was speaking to a room full of U.S. governors at the White House when an aide handed him a note about the ruling.
Citing a source, Renshaw wrote that the president reacted with visible frustration and told the governors he would have to "do something about the courts."
CNN's Kaitlan Collins also reported on X that Trump addressed the decision during the White House breakfast, calling it a "disgrace" and telling those gathered that he has a backup plan.
The Wall Street Journal reported that upon being handed the note, Trump asked the adviser, "So it’s a loss, then?"
The adviser confirmed the president's take.
Trump then told governors that although he looked calm, he was seething inside.
The president cut short a question-and-answer session with governors and left the room, saying he needed to work on a response to the ruling.
The 6-3 Supreme Court ruling dealt a significant blow to Trump’s sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
The majority found that the Constitution clearly grants Congress — not the executive branch — the power to levy taxes, including tariffs.
"The Framers did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority.
Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented.
Kavanaugh argued that the tariffs "may or may not be wise policy," but are "clearly lawful" under the text and history of the statute.
Trump has long defended the tariffs as central to his America First economic agenda, aimed at correcting trade imbalances and confronting what he calls unfair foreign practices.
He previously described the case as one of the most important in U.S. history, warning that an adverse ruling would undercut U.S. leverage abroad.
The decision does not bar Trump from pursuing tariffs under other statutory authorities, though those pathways carry stricter procedural requirements.
Administration officials have indicated they are exploring alternative legal avenues to preserve much of the tariff framework.
The ruling also leaves open major practical questions.
The Treasury has collected more than $133 billion under the emergency tariffs, according to federal data cited.
Businesses are already preparing to seek refunds, a process Kavanaugh warned could become a "mess."
The decision marks the first major rebuke from the high court on a centerpiece of Trump's second-term agenda, despite previous emergency-docket wins that allowed him to advance executive actions in other areas.
While critics argue the ruling reinforces constitutional separation of powers, supporters say it underscores the urgency of clarifying presidential trade authority in an era of economic competition with China and other rivals.
For now, Trump appears poised to respond — signaling that the tariff fight, both legally and politically, is far from over.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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