Tariff Powers Rooted in Solid Law

Bessent expresses confidence in Trump tariff plans even amid challenge before SCOTUS

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent just dropped a bombshell at the New York Times DealBook Summit, asserting that the Trump administration’s tariff agenda is unstoppable, the U.S. Supreme Court be damned, as CNBC reports.

At the heart of this story, Bessent confidently predicted that the administration can push forward with its trade policies using existing legal tools, even if a pending Supreme Court ruling on tariff authority goes south.

Let’s rewind to Bessent’s bold stance during his onstage interview, where he laid out a legal roadmap for tariffs that sounds like a conservative’s dream come true. He pointed to the 1962 Trade Act, specifically sections 301, 232, and 122, as giving the president near-unchecked power over import duties.

Section 122, Bessent noted, allows tariff authority for up to 150 days, while the other sections offer broader, less time-bound muscle. This isn’t just posturing; it’s a calculated strategy to keep the pressure on trading partners without tripping over judicial hurdles.

“We can recreate the exact tariff structure with [sections] 301, with 232, with 122,” Bessent declared during the summit interview with host Andrew Ross Sorkin.

Well, that’s a mic drop for anyone fretting over legal setbacks—sounds like the administration’s got a backup plan thicker than a policy wonk’s binder.

Read more about it...