Trump just declared a new ‘hero’ on the Supreme Court, and the justice he chose reveals exactly how he plans to get his tariffs back

President Trump has called Justice Brett Kavanaugh his “new hero” on the Supreme Court, even after the court struck down his sweeping global tariffs. Kavanaugh was the only Trump-appointed justice to side with the White House in the ruling on Friday, which prompted the praise.

“My new hero is United States Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and, of course, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito,” Trump declared on Truth Social. He added, “There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that they want to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” On Friday, Trump also said Kavanaugh’s “stock has gone so up” and praised his “genius and his great ability.”

According to Politico, the Supreme Court’s decision blocked Trump from using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose his global tariffs. Three Republican-appointed justices, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, and Chief Justice John Roberts, joined the court’s liberal justices in the ruling against the tariffs.

Kavanaugh’s dissent gives the White House a clear path to pursue tariffs through other legal means

Trump saved his sharpest criticism for Barrett and Gorsuch, both of whom he appointed in his first term. “I think it’s an embarrassment to their families,” he told reporters at a press briefing on Friday, shortly after the ruling. “You want to know the truth, the two of them.” Trump’s presidency has seen several controversial moves that critics have labeled as overreach, and this ruling was no exception.

Kavanaugh’s dissent has given the White House a potential roadmap for future tariff efforts. In his minority opinion, he wrote that the majority’s decision “might not substantially constrain a President’s ability to order tariffs going forward.” He also listed several other federal laws the White House could use to impose tariffs.

The White House moved quickly after the ruling. Trump signed an executive order imposing a new temporary 10 percent global tariff, citing a section of the Trade Act of 1974 that allows a president to impose tariffs when facing a “large and serious balance-of-payments deficit.” These new tariffs are set to take effect on Tuesday and are expected to face legal challenges. It is worth noting that Trump’s praise for justices has not always lasted.

In July 2021, he criticized both Kavanaugh and Barrett for siding with the court’s liberals in a challenge to Obamacare. “I was disappointed, and that’s the way it goes. Very disappointed, I fought very hard for them,” he said after that 7-2 ruling. Trump has also made headlines recently for his off-script remarks causing chaos at public meetings. So while Kavanaugh is Trump’s “new hero” today, that could change depending on future rulings.