The U.S. Supreme Court did not issue a ruling on Tuesday on the highly anticipated global tariffs case on America’s trading partners. U.S. Senator for Vermont Peter Welch, a Democrat, announced plans to introduce a resolution aimed at blocking any tariffs Trump imposes on nations that support Greenland’s sovereignty.
The court released three opinions on Tuesday, but did not release its decision on President Donald Trump’s global tariffs, leaving the decision for a future date.
It’s not immediately clear the next date the court will issue opinions.
A ruling against Trump on tariffs would deliver his biggest legal defeat since returning to the White House.
The US president Donald Trump has warned there would be a “complete mess” if the Supreme Court were to rule against the United States of America on tariffs.
In comments on Truth Social in January he highlighted how much was at stake in the decision, and the challenges it would pose if businesses could claim refunds.
“It may not be possible but, if it were, it would be dollars that would be so large that it would take many years to figure out what number we are talking about and even, who, when, and where, to pay,” Trump said in his post.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump claimed a decision to strike down the tariffs he has placed would require the U.S. to pay back “hundreds of billions of dollars,” and that doesn’t include the amount that countries and companies would require for the investments they are making on building plants, factories, and equipment, for the purpose of being able to avoid the payment of tariffs.
A decision against Trump could also open the way for “trillions of dollars” for the country to pay.
“When these investments are added, we are talking about trillions of dollars!” he said. “It would be a complete mess, and almost impossible for our country to pay. Anybody who says that it can be quickly and easily done would be making a false, inaccurate, or totally misunderstood answer to this very large and complex question.”
Entrepreneurs, policymakers and others have been closely watching the tariff ruling as it could have ramifications for global trade.
President Trump amped up his rhetoric on his plans for Greenland in a series of social-media posts, saying the U.S. was the only power that can ensure peace throughout the world.
The posts follow days of escalating tensions over Greenland, with Trump having launched a series of tariff threats in an effort to pressure Europe to drop its opposition to a U.S. takeover.
Trump had on Saturday indicated that he could use tariffs as leverage to force talks on Greenland. He targeted Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom with a 10% tariff for opposing his desire to buy the island. The president warned of 10% tariffs on any and all goods sent to the United States of America starting February 1, then 25% from June 1st, if they oppose America’s desired control of Greenland.
Trump said Tuesday he had agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland on the subject of Greenland after a “very good” telephone call with secretary general of NATO Mark Rutte.
“While I was in Denmark with a bipartisan delegation this weekend, President Trump threatened tariffs on countries that defy his reckless land grab of Greenland. I’m announcing that I will be introducing a resolution to block any tariffs he imposes on nations that support Greenland’s sovereignty and oppose Trump’s insane march to war,” U.S. Senator for Vermont Peter Welch wrote in a post on X on Tuesday.
