Newsom blasts Trump tariff hike after Supreme Court ruling

California Governor Gavin Newsom is sharply criticizing President Donald Trump following his announcement that he is raising global tariffs to 15 percent.

(CNN)- California Governor Gavin Newsom is sharply criticizing President Donald Trump following his announcement that he is raising global tariffs to 15 percent — up from the 10 percent rate imposed just a day earlier.

“The whole thing is a farce,” Newsom said. “It was 10% two days ago, maybe 20% tomorrow. I mean this is madness.”

The back-to-back tariff announcements came after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled Friday that the sweeping emergency tariffs Trump imposed last year were illegal.

However, the high court’s ruling applied only to tariffs implemented under one specific law. Shortly after the decision, President Trump said he would rely on other legal authorities to maintain duties on imported goods.

“Other alternatives will now be used to replace the ones that the court incorrectly rejected,” Trump said.

The legal authority now being used to support the new 15 percent global tariffs requires congressional approval within 150 days for the duties to remain in effect.

Meanwhile, Democrats are calling for refunds for U.S. companies that paid tens of billions of dollars under last year’s tariff increases.

Newsom argued the administration should return the money with interest. “He needs to refund that money with interest. They can do it electronically. They have the tariff codes. They have the ability,” he said.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pushed back, saying the situation is still unfolding in the courts.

“The Supreme Court did not address refunds,” Bessent said. “The Supreme Court remanded it down to a lower court. That could be weeks or months when we hear from them.”

The tariff dispute is expected to continue playing out both in the courts and on Capitol Hill in the coming months.