World Leaders React as Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump Tariffs

International officials are scrambling to understand the impact of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that invalidated certain Trump administration tariffs. While some tariffs on automobiles and steel remain in place, businesses worldwide are bracing for new uncertainty as Trump announces plans for additional 10% global tariffs.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Trade officials in South Korea held emergency weekend discussions to evaluate how a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down certain Trump-era tariffs will affect their economy, while governments and businesses worldwide analyzed potential consequences from Washington’s latest trade policy shifts.

The urgent session called by Seoul’s Trade Ministry occurred as representatives from South Korea to South America recognized that duties will continue on particular U.S.-bound exports, including cars and steel products, which remain unaffected by the Supreme Court’s recent ruling.

The development represents another dramatic shift in America’s tariff approach since President Donald Trump resumed office 13 months ago, disrupting numerous trade partnerships with the world’s largest economy.

Speaking at an agricultural exhibition in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated America’s system of checks and balances, commending the “rule of law” during his appearance. “It’s a good thing to have powers and counter-powers in democracies. We should welcome that.”

However, Macron warned against celebrating too early.

Government representatives examined the specific wording of recent bilateral and multilateral agreements with the United States while preparing for additional policy changes. Trump announced Friday his intention to implement new 10% worldwide tariffs under different regulations.

“I note that President Trump, a few hours ago, said he had reworked some measures to introduce new tariffs, more limited ones, but applying to everyone,” Macron stated. “So we’ll look closely at the exact consequences, what can be done, and we will adapt.”

Referencing Trump’s latest 10% tariff proposal, Sergio Bermúdez, who leads an industrial parks company in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, near the Texas border, commented that Trump “says a lot of things, and many of them aren’t true. All of the businesses I know are analyzing, trying to figure out how it’s going to affect them.”

Ciudad Juárez could face particularly significant consequences since much of its economic activity relies on manufacturing facilities that produce goods for American consumers, built through decades of free trade between the United States and Mexico.

The repeated policy reversals from the United States over the past year have created widespread caution among international business executives, who find it difficult to make predictions and have seen investments suffer as a result.

Mexican Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Friday that his country was monitoring the tariff situation with a “cool head,” pointing out that 85% of Mexican exports remain tariff-free, primarily due to the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement. He has scheduled meetings with U.S. economic officials for next week.

Alan Russell, CEO of Tecma, which assists American companies in establishing Mexican operations, has watched his responsibilities become increasingly complex over the past year — his organization’s workload has increased up to four times as it handles new import regulations. He fears recent U.S. actions will create additional complications.

“We wake up every day with new challenges. That word ‘uncertainty’ has been the greatest enemy,” Russell, who is American, explained. “The difficult part has been not being clear what the rules are today or what they’re going to be tomorrow.”

Some American importers who may have paid excessive tariffs are exploring potential refunds — likely through a very complicated procedure — and some international companies may also seek compensation.

Bernd Lange, who chairs the European Parliament’s trade committee, stated on Deutschland radio that excessive tariffs “must be refunded.” He calculates that German businesses or their American importers alone overpaid more than 100 billion euros ($118 billion).

Swissmem, a leading technology industry group in Switzerland, praised the Supreme Court’s “good decision” on X, noting that Swiss exports to America dropped 18% in the fourth quarter alone — during a time when Switzerland faced significantly higher U.S. tariffs than most other European nations.

“The high tariffs have severely damaged the tech industry,” Swissmem President Martin Hirzel wrote on X, while recognizing the situation remains unsettled. “However, today’s ruling doesn’t win anything yet.”