Bessent Expresses Confidence in Trump’s Tariff Case Outcome Amid Supreme Court Scrutiny
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remains "very optimistic" about President Trump's chances in a pivotal Supreme Court case challenging the use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify global tariffs. The conservative-majority court grilled Trump's legal team on Wednesday, leaving the fate of $88 billion in collected tariffs hanging in the balance.
Should the ruling go against the administration, fallback options include Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974—permitting 15% tariffs for 150 days to address balance-of-payment gaps—or Section 338 of the 1930 Tariff Act, which authorizes retaliatory measures against trade-discriminatory nations.