Ambassador Greer Issues Statement on Supreme Court IEEPA Decision

USTR ^ | 2/20/26 | Ambassador Jamieson Greer, USTR

[CDB]

The Trump Administration will take the following actions in short order to ensure continuity in reaching these goals and as part of our negotiated agreements with numerous trading partners:

Immediately impose a temporary 10 percent surcharge on articles imported into the United States, pursuant to Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Initiate several investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (“Section 301”) to deal with unjustifiable, unreasonable, discriminatory, and burdensome acts, policies, and practices by many trading partners. We expect these investigations to cover most major trading partners and to address areas of concern such as industrial excess capacity, forced labor, pharmaceutical pricing practices, discrimination against U.S. technology companies and digital goods and services, digital services taxes, ocean pollution, and practices related to the trade in seafood, rice, and other products. We intend to conduct these investigations on an accelerated timeframe, in keeping with the Section 301 statute’s substantive and procedural requirements. If these investigations conclude that there are unfair trading practices and that responsive action is warranted, tariffs are one tool that may be imposed.

Maintain tariffs currently imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1963, and conclude ongoing investigations.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bobwillstroll; commerce; foreign; policy; scotus; tariffs; trade; uscongress

[marron]

I find it hard to believe a president can’t negotiate trade deals.

[wiseprince]

Jesse Waters nailed it really. They told Trump he can wash the dishes but he can’t use the dishwasher. All this does is weaken the President vis a vi foreign affairs. If congress really cared about the country thriving they’d have an update to the law on his desk by morning.

[GMThrust]

That analogy doesn’t work in this situation. He can “sell” you a car but he can’t charge money for it. This does no harm in the foreign affairs. He’s still going to hold their feet to the fire and get his tariff money, one way or another. In fact, it may make him look stronger. Not even the SCOTUS can stop him from doing what he wants.

[Dr. Franklin]

I find it hard to believe a president can’t negotiate trade deals.

Understand that most SCOTUS justices get paid to teach in Europe during the court's summer break. Trump's tariffs are bad PR for them, and they are elites who benefit greatly from globalism.

[Bob Wills is still the king]

The other authorities Trump is considering only allow minimal tariffs for a maximum of 150 days unless further authorized by Congress.

Basically, every tariff requires Congressional approval for enduring applications.

[Bob Wills is still the king]

“Jesse Waters nailed it really. They told Trump he can wash the dishes but he can’t use the dishwasher. All this does is weaken the President vis a vi foreign affairs. If congress really cared about the country thriving they’d have an update to the law on his desk by morning.”
___________________________________________________________

You may be correct, but there’s no chance of passing such legislation in a 50/50 Congress.

[Bob Wills is still the king]

“I find it hard to believe a president can’t negotiate trade deals.”
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There’s nothing preventing any president from negotiating a trade deal. That’s different than imposing a tax - and a tariff is clearly a tax - which Congress owns and jealously guards.

[wiseprince]

If you 100% of the Senators actually wanted the country to succeed this would be the easiest bill to pass. Such as it is the number is close to between 8 and 15