Tariff Tantrum by Geoff Carter « The Pen in Hand Blog

Illustration by Michael DiMilo

By Geoff Carter

In a highly unusual occurrence in modern American politics, the Supreme Court of the United States made a ruling that President Trump did not like. Not at all. Like a nanny taking away a favorite toy from an extremely spoiled child, the justices removed Trump’s tariff powers, ruling that what he had been doing with tariffs was unconstitutional. (Why it took them the better part of a year to determine this is puzzling.) Unfortunately, our little Donny didn’t seem to understand he had to get the approval of Congress before instituting a tariff on another country, and he didn’t like his toy being taken away from him.

So, what did he do? He did what any spoiled child would do. He threw a tantrum and did it during a White House press conference. He was so mad he said some very nasty things about his (former) friends Amy, John, and Neil. He’s never very much like Sonia, Elena, and Ketjani. He thinks they’re mean girls.

“The Supreme Court’s ruling on tariffs is deeply disappointing. And I’m ashamed of certain members of the court—absolutely ashamed—for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country,” said Trump. “I think it’s an embarrassment to their families, you wanna know the truth… (Reuters)”

He didn’t stop there.

“Trump…claimed that the court “has been swayed by foreign interests,” but declined to provide any evidence (Reuters).”

This occurred at a White House press conference that was seen by millions of people all over the world. Never one to be outdone, Trump seemed determined to put on an even more embarrassingly juvenile public exhibition than his Attorney General Pam Bondi had given just the week before. And considering the level of Pam’s vitriol and venom, it took some doing, but our fearless leader was up to it.

Trump continued his diatribes against The Supreme Court in the days after the ruling, writing on social media, “The supreme court (will be using lower case letters for a while based on a complete lack of respect!) of the United States accidentally and unwittingly gave me, as President of the United States, far more powers and strength than I had prior to their ridiculous, dumb, and very internationally divisive ruling (The Hill).”

Donald Trump has always loved the idea of tariffing but seems to have a limited understanding of their true function. According to OxfordEconomics.com, “governments impose tariffs to protect domestic industries and correct trade imbalances, to raise revenue, and to use as leverage in international negotiations.” Trump said he was going to use tariffs for these purposes, but instead of levying a carefully measured and calculated policy, he started throwing tariff numbers out like coupons for the local Chuck E. Cheese.

Trump seems more interested in demonstrating the extent of his power and flexing his political muscles than in actually negotiating a productive trade deal or correcting trade imbalances. He’s framed his punitive tariffs as retaliations for nations that he says have been “ripping us off” for decades. But, in point of fact, he uses tariffs as leverage in his own business dealings. The targets of some of these tariffs were countries like Vietnam with whom he was negotiating the construction of a golf course and resort. He was using tariffs as a tool to leverage better deals for his own business interests.

As Melinda St. Louis of Public Citizen stated in Common Dreams, “He claimed that the so-called ‘reciprocal tariffs’ would protect American jobs, but these reckless tariffs were never designed to do that…He just wants to wield threats as a schoolyard bully while giving his billionaire buddies sweetheart deals.”

Sweetheart deals and schoolyard bully threats. That about sums up the complex psychological dynamic of Donald J. Trump. He is not a complicated man; nor is he a sophisticated one. He’s mean and he’s greedy. And he’s spoiled, mostly because very few people have stood up to him. Those who have, like Liz Cheney, have been punished and, for all intents and purposes, banished.

Trump considers his tariffs his personal weapons. He uses them to punish his enemies and to leverage his business negotiations. He did not use them to increase domestic productivity or to protect U.S. industry—of course, he does absolutely nothing to further U.S. interests. He never has. Trump wants tariff power to be his personal toy, and he is refusing to give it up.

Even after The Supreme Court (I’ll capitalize it) ruled he cannot levy tariffs without congressional approval, Trump has insisted he can still do it. He said that “the court has also approved all other Tariffs, of which there are many, and they can all be used in a much more powerful and obnoxious way, with legal certainty, than the Tariffs as initially used (ABC News).”

This is not exactly the case. There are other laws that allows a president to levy tariffs, but all require Congress to approve them, but Trump, like a child, will not listen to reason—or obey the ruling of the highest court in the land.

Had Trump worked with Congress to establish and levy his beloved tariffs, this would not have been an issue. He could have done it easily. In fact, the Republican majority in the House and Senate has been so eager to please him, Trump probably could have passed legislation to paint the Statue of Liberty red and put a MAGA cap on her head. He probably still could, but he chose instead to ignore Congress and work his will through a slew of executive orders.

From the very beginning of his second term, when he formed DOGE illegally (without any oversight or funding approval from the legislative branch), laid off thousands of federal employees (see above), absurdly renamed the Gulf of Mexico (not illegal but just plain dumb), opened up federally protected lands to energy production (again illegal), started rounding up citizens with his ICE goons (illegal and unconstitutional) and on and on, he has bypassed working with or even consulting Congress. He also demolished the East Wing of the White House without warning—or permission from the appropriate federal agencies.

It would seem Donald Trump does not work and play well with others. Had he gone a normal route and pursued his agenda (Project 2025) with the help of his obsequious and boot-licking Republican majority, he could have accomplished his aims (perverse though they are) without controversy. His reckless and seemingly random habit of arbitrarily levying and then suddenly removing tariffs has thrown the international economy into a chronic state of uncertainty, so much so that the U.S. is losing its once reliable trading partners. And who could blame them?

Trump relishes his ability to demonstrate what he believes is his unlimited power. When he is checked in this, as he was last week by the Supreme Court and as he should be by Congress, when it’s revealed that he is not God, he lashes out.

Trump’s narcissism and delusional behaviors on the national and the world stage are not only abhorrent and disgusting; they are also alarming. The Epstein files, the ICE attacks on citizens, his blatant and continuing disregard for the law and our Constitution, and his bullying of political opponents and members of the media reflect his all-consuming selfishness. He is emotionally stunted. He is a spoiled brat.

He’s been a bad boy, and we need to take away his toys. All of them.