Game two plan needed: Trump seeks alternatives if US top court rejects tariffs

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he would consider alternatives if the Supreme Court rules against his administration over the legality of his sweeping tariffs.

“I think it’d be devastating for our country, but I also think that we’ll have to develop a ‘game two’ plan. We’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. He added that while other measures were possible, they would take more time to implement.

“We thought we did very well yesterday. We hope that we did. I think it would be devastating for our country, but I also think that we’ll have to develop a ‘game two’ plan. We’ll see what happens. Most people tell me we did very well,” Trump said.

The president emphasised that the tariffs were a matter of national security. “They don’t laugh at us anymore. This is really a matter of national security,” he added.

Referring to his actions on previous trade measures, Trump said, “I think this is the best one. And we can do other things, but they are slow by comparison. As an example, with 100 percent, I was able to do it instantaneously when we were threatened by rare earths and magnets. It was a matter of seconds that I got a phone call, and we worked it out. It would be somewhat catastrophic for our country, I have to be honest with you.”

His remarks came a day after Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism about the legality of his tariffs during a high-stakes hearing. Both conservative and liberal justices questioned whether a 1977 law meant for national emergencies gave Trump the authority to impose such tariffs or if he had overstepped Congress’s constitutional power to levy them.

A majority of justices appeared doubtful that the president could unilaterally impose wide-ranging tariffs, signalling potential limits on Trump’s executive powers. Three conservative justices and the court’s three liberal members raised concerns over whether the emergency law granted near-limitless authority with significant global economic implications.

The case marks the first major test of Trump’s agenda before the Supreme Court, which includes three justices he appointed during his first term. The conservative-majority court has previously been reluctant to restrict Trump’s use of executive power in short-term decisions involving high-profile dismissals and funding cuts.

However, the tariff case could produce a more detailed ruling that defines the extent of presidential authority in trade matters, a decision expected in the coming weeks or months.

The Trump administration has argued that the Constitution’s clause granting Congress the power to levy tariffs is complemented by an emergency law allowing the president to regulate imports, which it says includes the authority to impose tariffs.

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With inputs from Reuters.

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