Trump Cranks Tariffs Up to 15% After Supreme Court Slaps Down His Trade War — And the Philippines Could Feel the Pinch

Just one day after announcing a 10 percent across-the-board tariff on all US imports, President Donald Trump doubled down on Saturday by raising it to the maximum 15 percent allowed under Section 122 — a law no president has ever used before.

The move came after the US Supreme Court struck down Trump’s previous tariff program, ruling that he had exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Chief Justice John Roberts, joined by two Trump appointees (Gorsuch and Barrett) and three liberal justices, said the president simply didn’t have the power he claimed.

Trump reacted furiously, calling the majority justices ‘fools’ and his own appointees ‘embarrassments.’ He vowed to use the 150-day window under Section 122 — which requires congressional approval to extend — to find other ‘legally permissible’ tariff mechanisms.

For the Philippines, this is bad news. Trade experts and Manila Times analysts warn that higher US tariffs cloud the outlook for the PSEi (Philippine Stock Exchange index) and could add to the uncertainty already weighing on the Philippine economy. The BSP is also expected to pause its rate-cutting cycle as it assesses the ripple effects.

With polls showing growing numbers of Americans blaming tariffs for higher prices, even Republican congressional aides are skeptical about extending them. But for now, the global trade war is back on — and Philippine exporters and markets need to brace for impact.

Source: The Manila Times