Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at new U.S. tariffs after a landmark Supreme Court ruling, the White House considering limited strikes on Iran, and rising political tensions in France.
Switching IEEPA for Section 122
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that President Donald Trump overstepped his executive authority when he used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping tariffs on virtually all of the United States’ trading partners.
Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at new U.S. tariffs after a landmark Supreme Court ruling, the White House considering limited strikes on Iran, and rising political tensions in France.
Switching IEEPA for Section 122
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that President Donald Trump overstepped his executive authority when he used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping tariffs on virtually all of the United States’ trading partners.
“The President asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration, and scope. In light of the breadth, history, and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorization to exercise it,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the court’s 6-3 opinion. “IEEPA’s grant of authority to ‘regulate … importation’ falls short. IEEPA contains no reference to tariffs or duties. The Government points to no statute in which Congress used the word ‘regulate’ to authorize taxation. And until now no President has read IEEPA to confer such power.”
As such, Roberts concluded, “we hold that IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.”
But Trump appears unwilling to go down without a fight. In a scathing rebuke of the court’s decision, Trump announced plans on Friday to impose a 10 percent global duty—this time under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974—on top of U.S. levies already in place.
“In order to protect our Country, a President can actually charge more TARIFFS than I was charging in the past under the various other TARIFF authorities, which have also been confirmed, and fully allowed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
But as FP’s Keith Johnson writes, authorities such as Section 122 “are more limited in both the scope and the duration of the tariffs, and they require prior investigation before implementation.” Section 122 allows the president to issue tariffs of up to 15 percent via an executive order to address “large and serious” balance-of-payments deficits. The duration of those levies is effective for only 150 days before they need congressional approval.
The Supreme Court’s ruling and Trump’s subsequent declaration inject uncertainty into Washington’s trade deals. The European Union has announced that lawmakers will convene an emergency meeting on Monday to reassess the bloc’s trade agreement, which—if ratified—would erase tariffs on most U.S. goods while setting a 15 percent duty on EU products. The United Kingdom suggested that it will work with the administration to understand how the ruling will affect tariffs currently in place. And Canadian Internal Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc stressed that the court decision “reinforces Canada’s position that the IEEPA tariffs imposed by the United States are unjustified.”
Friday’s ruling also opens up a new can of worms: What will happen to the as much as $175 billion in U.S. tariff revenue collected under IEEPA? “Refunds of billions of dollars would have significant consequences for the U.S. Treasury,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a dissenting opinion, adding that the process would likely be a “mess.”
More than 60 percent of total tariff revenue last year stemmed from duties imposed under IEEPA, according to the Cato Institute, citing data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. And of the 50 modifications made to the U.S. tariff code in 2025, half of them came from actions under that authority.
This suggests that a messy future is likely in store for the Trump administration’s economic plans. Asked during a Friday press conference whether his administration has to pay back the tariff revenue, a frustrated Trump noted that the Supreme Court decision did not answer that question. “I guess it has to get litigated for the next two years,” Trump said.
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What We’re Following
Potential limited strikes. Trump confirmed on Friday that he is considering a limited military strike on Iran to pressure Tehran into reaching a nuclear deal. Sources told the Wall Street Journal that an initial attack would likely target a few military or government sites and could be authorized as early as this weekend.
If Iran still refuses to end its nuclear enrichment program, a key demand of the Trump administration, then the United States could issue a broader military campaign aimed at toppling Tehran’s regime. Sources told Reuters on Friday that the U.S. military has reached an advanced stage with options that include targeting individuals.
In recent days, Trump has ordered a massive U.S. military buildup in Middle East, including deploying a second aircraft carrier, while U.S. negotiators engaged in indirect talks with Iranian officials. The U.S. president warned Tehran on Thursday that “really bad things” will happen if Iran fails to reach a deal within 10 to 15 days. It is worth noting that Trump set a similar deadline last June before issuing strikes against three Iranian nuclear sites just days later.
Iran has vowed retaliation if the United States carries out an attack, with Tehran telling United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday that it will consider an adversary’s bases, facilities, and assets in the Middle East “legitimate targets.” At the same time, though, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on Friday that he expects to have a draft counterproposal for a nuclear deal ready within a few days for senior Iranian officials to review, saying that another round of U.S.-Iran talks could be possible in a week or so.
Fear of political violence. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed on Friday that police reinforcements will be deployed to Lyon for this weekend’s planned rally for killed far-right activist Quentin Deranque. However, Nuñez declined to ban the demonstration despite a request to do so from Lyon’s mayor.
The 23-year-old activist was beaten to death last week while on the sidelines of a protest against a university conference in Lyon, where lawmaker Rima Hassan of the hard-left France Unbowed party was speaking. Right-wing lawmakers have blamed France Unbowed for Deranque’s death, but party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon has denied any France Unbowed involvement and has called for calm. Two people have been charged with intentional homicide in relation to Deranque’s death, and a third has been charged with complicity. A former France Unbowed parliamentary aide has admitted to being at the scene but has denied delivering the killing blows.
But tensions between the opposing parties appear to only be escalating, gaining the attention of international audiences. On Wednesday, far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni joined the fray by calling groups linked to “left-wing extremism” a “wound for all of Europe.” French President Emmanuel Macron, a centrist, was quick to issue a rebuke, telling reporters on Thursday, “I’m always struck by how people who are nationalists, who don’t want to be bothered in their own country, are always the first ones to comment on what’s happening in other countries.”
Epstein files fallout. British police searched the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Friday, a day after the former U.K. prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct while holding public office. Mountbatten-Windsor was the first British royal to be arrested in 379 years. After nearly 11 hours in custody, he was released and is now residing at Sandringham Estate, King Charles III’s private retreat, while the investigation continues.
Mountbatten-Windsor is suspected of having shared confidential trade information with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while the former was serving as the United Kingdom’s trade envoy. These included disclosing reports of his official visits to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Vietnam as well as sending a confidential memo detailing investment opportunities in Afghanistan.
The former prince has not yet commented on these allegations. However, he has consistently denied any wrongdoing surrounding his longtime association with Epstein. Separately, U.K. police said earlier this month that they were reviewing allegations that Epstein trafficked a woman to the United Kingdom to have a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor, though his arrest on Thursday was unrelated to those allegations. Charles stripped his brother of his royal titles last November, but Mountbatten-Windsor is still eighth in line for the throne.
Odds and Ends
The Japanese city of Osaka is about to get a major glow up. Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama revealed on Thursday that in November 2025, the city received an anonymous donation of gold bars worth $3.6 million, with the caveat that the money must be used to improve Osaka’s water system. “It’s a staggering amount, and I was speechless,” Yokoyama said. “Tackling aging water pipes requires a huge investment, and I cannot thank enough for the donation.” According to Japanese waterworks officials, Osaka needs to renew 160 miles of pipes, which could cost upward of $418 million.
