Tariff Tumult
Trump responded swiftly to the high court ruling, threatening a 10% global tariff — one he's since vowed to raise to 15% — under the Trade Act of 1974.
Prior to the escalating global tariff remarks from Trump, Gov. Andy Beshear told CBS's Face the Nation Sunday he hopes the ruling places more constraints on the president.
"if a president can wield this authority that he was trying to, then you see the chaos we've seen, where we had first across-the-board, the reciprocal tariffs, then industry-specific tariffs. Then we had tariffs on a country for non-economic reasons," Beshear said. "What this should say is the president has to go to Congress and actually work it through in a thoughtful way."
The legal authority Trump is now claiming to back his latest tariff response is more limited, with some tariffs requiring congressional approval or extensive investigations in order to be implemented on a permanent basis.
Republican Congressman Andy Barr is pledging to support the president's efforts, claiming the tariffs have "given this president the leverage to achieve more reciprocal trade deals, more market access for American exporters."
The U.S. Senate candidate went on to signal his intent to remain aligned with White House on the issue.
"My commitment to the president is to give him whatever authorities he needs, in the realm of sanctions policy, to continue the progress and success he has had in trying to negotiate better deals for this country."
But should the legislative approval process play out, it will put all GOP lawmakers, from outspoken Trump allies like Barr to other less tariff-friendly members, on the record when it comes to the controversial trade tactic.
Bourbon Industry Reacts
Bourbon makers responded positively to the U.S. Supreme Court's rebuke, but the road ahead for the key Kentucky industry is still far from clear.
Certainty, stability, and predictability: those were the words a number of bourbon industry figures used to describe what they hope to see more of in the market and in trade policy going forward.
Distilled Spirits Council President and CEO Chris Swonger told WAVE3-TV, when freed of the tariff question, bourbon has shown its ability to remain a powerhouse.
"The Kentucky bourbon industry has thrived as a result of operating in a predictable trading environment with zero-for-zero tariffs," he said. "So that means no trade tariffs are applied on Kentucky bourbon that is being exported around the world."
Kentucky Distillers’ Association president Eric Gregory sounded the same note in a statement: “Our historic and homegrown industry is better positioned to do that when there is stability in the marketplace, free from uncertainty over tariffs and unpredictable global trade policies. As it takes years for Kentucky Bourbon to age to perfection, the KDA will continue to advocate with elected officials for that stability and a return to reciprocal, tariff-free trade.”
Yet the president's response hasn't lowered the temperature, prompting the European Parliament to pump the brakes the ratification process of a major trade deal with the U.S., saying the U.S. side of the deal is uncertain and lacks guarantees amid the tariff policy shakeup.