Just hours after a major court ruling dismantled one of former President Donald Trump’s hallmark trade initiatives, the former leader remained silent on the legal setback and instead turned his attention to criticizing the media.
In a series of social media posts, Trump revisited long-standing grievances about coverage of the Russia investigation, taking aim at journalists and award-winning reports. He claimed the narrative was a fabrication and accused the press of distorting the truth, declaring, “They were completely wrong. The reality was the exact opposite.”
Meanwhile, what went unmentioned in Trump’s online commentary was a significant defeat handed down by a federal trade court. The court struck down his administration’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, a key part of his economic agenda, ruling that Trump had exceeded his executive powers in implementing them.
According to the court's decision, granting unrestricted authority to impose tariffs would violate the constitutional balance by effectively transferring legislative power to the executive branch without proper limits.
Despite the magnitude of the ruling, Trump focused instead on celebrating a minor legal win in a defamation case and sharing favorable media coverage, rather than addressing the implications of the court’s decision.
The White House, in contrast, acknowledged the ruling but responded by questioning the judiciary’s role—further intensifying tensions between the Trump administration and the nation's legal institutions.
This episode illustrates a broader trend in which Trump often redirects attention from policy failures by reigniting battles with the media, even as major legal and political challenges unfold around him.
