Trump's Supreme Court delivers an uppercut to the President that leaves him shaken
The Trump Administration is in damage control because the Republican gift-wrapped Supreme Court decided Christmas was in December and not in April - Easter or Yom Kippur - September. Donald Trump has put all his eggs - not Easter but, tariff eggs in one basket to appease his MAGA base that blindly support him and the Israeli lobby groups that some say either have one over on him - Epstein, or explicitly count on US support to maintain and expand their sphere of influence in the Middle East thereby, simultaneously galvanizing America's footprint in the region never mind Israel's unquenchable thirst for war, particularly, under Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu. It's hard to imagine that Israeli leadership with its disparaging and continued treatment of Palestinians has allowed much good will with the international community to evaporate, built up over 80 years since the horrible atrocities wrought on the Jewish community by the Holocaust. Even so, this grand partnership between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu has managed to make the central government in Beijing look dovish by comparison, as Chinese officials and governors are systematically dismantling Tibetan culture and norms, thereby transporting Tibet into a vassal state that favours Han Chinese over Tibetans. It is demonstrably hypocritical for Trump and his autocrat acolytes to coalesce under a 'Board of Peace' while Gazan's are still being murdered by Israeli forces that continue to loot Gaza and The West Bank, while ignoring the plight of nearby Tibetans. Here is the terrible lesson of electing a real estate/ media personality into the hot seat that is the Presidency of the United States. Italy experienced similar, though microscopically smaller effects, under far right leader Silvio Berlusconi on three occasions for nine years. In 2013, he was convicted of tax fraud.
So, what does the impact of this 6-3 SCOTUS ruling have on Trump'ability to manage his economic and foreign affairs agenda in 2026. Trump hastily called a press conference to rail against those justices that opposed him and spin the outcome as favourable, which is base admires and fails to see for its lack of integrity. But, as a good salesman will tell anyone, sell the sizzle, not the steak. And Mr Trump, the grandmaster of the graft and working the media, understands both concepts to sell his vision. Problem for Mr. Trump is with his approval rating having fallen to 37% many Americans, suffering from an affordability issues, job cuts, the cuts to health care _ the Affordable Care Act subsidies were not renewed to squeeze out his opponent, former President Barack Obama and Nobel Peace Prize winner (that Trump covets) has economically and cognitively affected the well-being of red stats and blue states alike, leaving the Republican Party vulnerable heading into the summer months and the mid-terms. To compound matters, as Trump prepares US forces for another attack on Iran, a strong defence by Iran resulting in American losses will shutter any hope of salvaging the House or the Senate this November. Moreover, it is inconceivable to imagine any sitting President to refer to Supreme Court Justices as he stated that he is "ashamed" of the justices and that the justices are "a disgrace to our nation" for blocking his tariffs. Trump has offered a unenthusiastic invitation for Tuesday's State of the Union Address. In Trump negotiation fashion, he may be criticizing them for not giving his litigation carte blanche treatment, especially after two - Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett were Trump appointees. Trump's approach may work as he needs to get through more cases on the SCOTUS docket, yet, he is treating these well regarded Justices with disrespect that they may regard as unacceptable, prompting their opinions to be centrist in nature. Trump, through his inexperience and melodramatic nature, may have levelled the playing field in the Supreme Court that is decidedly Republican in make-up.
Trump will attempt to impose Nixonian 1974 Section 122 Tariffs that will levy a 15% global tariff on all countries. In addition, he will begin investigations into countries that may be guilty of unfair trade practises under a Section 301 proviso. In a local context, he may have Canada's dairy and Mexico's automotive industries in mind. Can an underfunded WTO provide clarity on excessive trade practises, until the US clears its arrears with the UN, or does collective security go into the dustbin temporarily until a DEMOCRAT led US government is elected? The New York Times quotes the Yale Budget Lab as comparing tariff rates at 16.9% before the Supreme Court ruling to 15.4% after Friday's opinion. The agency of Trump's tariffs remain to infuse the Treasury with funds to offset tax breaks for the wealthiest people/organizations at the top. Ironically, Trump's base is moored at the union and labour level, who stand to be severely impacted on affordability issues
If affordability remains an election issue, the Epstein files implicate Trump explicitly, while ICE continues to infringe on American's rights and freedoms coupled with a disastrous war with Iran, it will be difficult for Trump to finish his term, as impeachment is all but assured.
