Trump: Supreme Court gave me power to do absolutely terrible things
A president publicly brands the Supreme Court illegitimate while promising to weaponize federal licensing authority to punish foreign countries beyond the tariff power the Court rejected.
Feb 23, 2026
Sources
Summary
President Donald Trump said the Supreme Court’s decision striking down his emergency-law tariffs “accidentally” gave him more presidential power. He signaled a shift from contested emergency tariff authority toward using federal licensing tools to pressure foreign countries. The practical consequence is a declared intent to weaponize transaction permissions against other nations while publicly disparaging the Court’s legitimacy.
Reality Check
Threatening to use federal licensing power to do “terrible” things after losing in court normalizes retaliatory governance and teaches future presidents to route around judicial limits, weakening our rights and democratic stability. On these facts alone, the speech itself is not likely a federal crime, but it squarely signals abuse-of-office intent and contempt for separation of powers. If any licensing decisions are later traded for personal or political benefit, that conduct can implicate federal bribery and corruption laws—18 U.S.C. § 201 (bribery), § 371 (conspiracy), and honest-services fraud under §§ 1341/1343/1346—because the government’s permission to transact is a thing of value that can be weaponized.
Detail
<p>President Donald Trump posted Monday morning on Truth Social that the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down his imposition of tariffs under emergency laws had expanded his power as president. In the post, he wrote that the Court “accidentally and unwittingly gave me…far more powers and strength” than he had before the ruling, and said he would refer to the Court in lower case “based on a complete lack of respect.”</p><p>Trump said he could use “Licenses” to do “terrible” things to foreign countries, particularly those he described as having “been RIPPING US OFF for many decades.” The statement referenced federal trade or sanctions licenses that control whether particular foreign transactions are permitted.</p><p>Newsweek reported it contacted the White House by email seeking comment.</p>