Donald Trump‘s anger at the Supreme Court‘s decision to rule his tariff policies unconstitutional could influence his decision to call for a military strike in Iran, according to a former White House official.
The president, who has been going back and forth on the issue with advisors for days as the military sends dozens of air and sea crafts to the region, is heavily focused on his legacy.
Trump, 79, has sought to make a deal that would prevent Iranian nuclear enrichment in recent weeks, but has found the regime in Tehran resistant.
Former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross – who served during the president’s first term – believes that Trump is now more likely to strike the Middle Eastern country following the blow to his most significant second-term policy.
‘I don’t think he can take this loss and then be seen as backing down on Iran,’ Ross told The Wall Street Journal.
However, despite the success of recent targeted military actions in Iran and Venezuela, a White House official told the WSJ Trump still prefers diplomacy over war.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House for comment.
On Thursday, it appeared he was leaning toward targeted and limited strikes on the regime as opposed to a full-scale war.
Advisors believe the targeted attacks would help sway the Islamic Republic into making a nuclear deal. The strikes would aim to decimate only military and government sites as a first step, the Journal reported.
Donald Trump’s anger at the Supreme Court’s decision to rule his tariff policies unconstitutional could influence his decision to call for a military strike in Iran
Trump has tried to make a deal that would stop Iranian nuclear enrichment in recent weeks but has still found the regime in Tehran resistant. Pictured: training exercises between Iran and Russia
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace on Thursday, the president warned the US could bomb Iran if a deal isn’t reached within 10 days.
An official in the region said the tactic would likely push Iranian officials out of negotiations for a ‘significant period.’ If it doesn’t work, Trump could then strike regime facilities in an attempt to oust the entire leadership.
While Trump has been ‘repeatedly presented’ this plan by senior aides, discussions in the Oval Office have largely focused on a larger plan of attack.
‘Only President Trump knows what he may or may not do,’ White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told WSJ.
Trump bragged on Thursday about bringing ‘peace to the Middle East,’ but then subsequently threatened that if Iran doesn’t make a meaningful peace deal ‘bad things [will] happen.’
‘We may have to take it a step further, or we may not. Maybe we’re going to make a deal..,’ Trump said of breakdowns in nuclear talks.
‘You’re going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days,’ he added.
Trump last directed strikes in Iran over the summer. On June 19 the White House set a two-week window for the president to decide between whether to continue talks or take action.
Trump would target only military and government sites as a first step to get Iran to agree to a favorable deal and could potentially start ‘within days.’ Pictured: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
Naval units from Iran and Russia carry out to simulation of rescue a hijacked vessel during the joint naval drills held at the Port of Bandar Abbas near the Strait of Hormuz
Three days later, he launched Operation Midnight Hammer where the US Air Force and Navy attacked three nuclear facilities in Iran.
Trump has repeatedly said he wants to be the president that ends wars, but the meeting of the newly formed board comes after the US military significantly built-up air and naval assets in the Middle East in recent weeks.
This included moving aircraft carriers, fighter jets, submarines and other resources to the region.
Iran nuclear talks stalled after the recent round of negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland where the Middle Eastern nation requested more time with little-to-no breakthrough.
On Friday, the president was forced to improvise after the Supreme Court struck down his signature trade policies.
‘It is my Great Honor to have just signed, from the Oval Office, a Global 10% Tariff on all Countries, which will be effective almost immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter!’ Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday evening.
Trump previously threatened to impose a 10 percent tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which grants the president the power to impose temporary tariffs.
The trade law was implemented to address short-term emergencies and does not enact long-term trade policies.
Trump could eventually go after regime facilities in an attempt to oust Ayatollah Ali Khameni (pictured)
The tariffs can remain in effect for only 150 days without congressional approval. Trump’s decision marks the first time a president has invoked Section 122.
The White House shared that the temporary import duty will take effect on February 24 at 12.01am EST.
The tariff does not apply to a wide range of goods, including energy products, natural resources, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, some electronics, some vehicles, certain aerospace products, informational materials, and accompanied baggage.
Food products, including beef and tomatoes, will be exempt to minimize impacts on the average consumer.
The global tariff also excludes products from Canada and Mexico due to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Canada and Mexico have the lowest effective tariff rate globally. The countries will still be taxed on steel, aluminum and non-USMCA compliant goods.
Certain textiles and apparel are also exempt under the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement.
The president also launched a scathing accusation – that the justices who struck down his signature tariffs are being ‘swayed by foreign interests.’
In his seething condemnation, Trump said that some conservative justices are ‘not loyal’ like those appointed by Democratic presidents and accused them of going against the US Constitution.
He lamented that the decision is nonsensical, claiming that the Court admitted he can do anything he wants as president other than slap down tariffs.
‘I’m allowed to destroy the country, but I can’t charge them a little fee,’ Trump complained. ‘I can do anything I want to do to them, but I can’t charge any money.’
Three conservative justices joined all three liberals on the panel to rule against Trump on Friday, handing down a 6-3 decision that rebuked one of the president’s biggest economic proposals of his second term.
