This CNN Host Delivered a Gut Punch to Dems Over Trump's Tariff Agenda

Matt Vespa | February 21, 2026 1:30 PM

Make no mistake; President Trump was not happy about the Supreme Court’s ruling on his tariff agenda. The Court’s opinion yesterday was that the president cannot impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Trump held a press conference yesterday afternoon, where he expressed his displeasure but added that there are other avenues to impose tariffs, as other legal scholars noted.

🚨BREAKING — @POTUS:" I will sign an order to impose a 10% global tariff, under section 122, over & above our normal tariiffs already being charged...to protect our country from unfair trading practices of other countries & companies. Thank you for your attention to this matter." pic.twitter.com/xrWVXtgpSl
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 20, 2026

🔥Tariffs will continue to make America HOT

"We will be leveraging Section 232 and Section 301 tariff authorities that have been validated through thousands of legal challenges."

Which will “result in virtually unchanged tariff revenue in 2026."

BOOM.
pic.twitter.com/OH1HdFYghW
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 20, 2026

Scott Bessent earlier today at the Economic Club of Dallas:

"Let’s be clear about today’s ruling. Despite the misplaced gloating from Democrats, ill-informed media outlets, and the very people who gutted our industrial base, the Court did not rule against President Trump’s…
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) February 20, 2026

In fact, there’s a lot of runway for the Trump White House to continue this economic policy, which the president has also said works in our nation’s national security interest. He issued them at the media event:

🚨 BREAKING: CNN has just been FORCED to admit the brutal reality, Democrats are losing it!

TAPPER: “Give us the reality check: Can President Trump impose these new tariffs

ANALYST: “Yes. Yes he can!”

BOOM! 🔥

pic.twitter.com/z0JAnVUoqb
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 20, 2026

And can he do it? He sure can. CNN’s Jake Tapper delivered that update, which surely deflated the anti-Trump elation from the ruling, which should’ve been short-lived.

https://t.co/9CkSoT1XnO pic.twitter.com/chB2acM4i3
— The Right To Bear Memes (@grandoldmemes) February 21, 2026

Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Townhall’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.

Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.