Can someone explain to me when Presidents suddenly got the power to tariff everything? I could have sworn this was congress’ role.
this post was submitted on 20 Jan 2026
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When Congress stopped doing its job.
And the courts/SCOTUS slow-walked their response. The lawsuits are there, SCOTUS is just not ruling.
The entire US government is corrupt at this point. Both sides back down as soon as their money is threatened and republicans cower in fear every time they second guess their glorious leader. But to answer your question, the Supreme Court of the United States decided Trump can do whatever he wants and they will only fight him when they need to pretend they are impartial. They gave Trump the power over tariffs about a month before his "liberation day."
At the end of the day it really comes down to the fact that nobody in the entire government of the US has the balls to tell the big baby in charge "no." And even when they do they only do it to win political points so they look good for the next election.
They don’t. Everything he does is by executive order which expires if congress doesn’t uphold it I believe.
It's because people are following such orders before they are nulled by courts or congress.
Seems some quirk of the Us american system. The whole world is wondering, too.
In theory, Executive Orders are supposed to be a quick response to emergent situations. Even at its best, Congress is slow and cumbersome, as an assembly of many people tends to be, and as an organ of deliberate legislation should be. Until it can provide a more permanent solution to an urgent problem, the president is empowered to order temporary ones. It's a good idea. In theory.
The critical point is that this power is supposed to be checked by Courts and Congress. A president that abuses that power should be stripped of it. Unlawful orders should be blocked. SCOTUS could fast-track an urgent case. In theory.
In practice, that's where the system is falling apart. SCOTUS has long been stacked with partial judges, while states have gerrymandered and indoctrinated to the point where their representatives are no longer beholden to the approval of the people. With SCOTUS and Congress both complicit, those checks no longer actually check.
This isn't a sudden exploitation of a loophole that has been there from the start. It's the rotten fruit of decades of vile labour. It's an ulcer that has been festering for decades and is now rupturing.
I don't wonder about executive orders functioning as they should (though I find it depressing), I wonder how the hell it got this far, both in the US and in other countries, that it takes an almost cartoonishly petty madman to rip it wide open before it becomes visible, and I still have to argue with family about conservatism being a deeply anti-democratic and anti-liberty movement.
How is it still not obvious that this isn't the work of one man, but the culmination of many people working together to prepare the stage for his grotesque, narcissistic power play?
so his 1bn offer to join his "board of peace" is not an actual offer, but another 1bn extortion? I wouldn't have guessed...
No, you only read the headlines apparently. The 1bn is only due if you want to be a member for longer than three years (other factors may turn that into a subscription extortion later down the line, but at this moment, Trump only wants to force the free trial period onto countries).
Once the three years are over your credit card will be automatically charged
saying that European leaders “won’t push back too much.”
Defensive forces are already being deployed to Greenland as I type this and EU leaders have made it clear they will open fire on hostile US soldiers.
Not really many forces has been deployed, it’s more a political statement than deterrence.
Exactly this. A lot of people don't understand that. It's obvious that a handful of soldiers is not going to protect Greenland against an invasion of the biggest military on earth. That wasn't the goal. It was a not so subtle message reminding Trump that invading Greenland will have consequences. Judging by Trump's unhinged response this message was received.
The German forces have already returned back home...
Just look at the German Chancellor's employment history and you know why. I bet BlackRock has already made heavy investments into US exploitation of Greenland.
It was only a reconnaissance mission. 🤡
It was designated as a reconnaissance mission from the start and even the exact length was known. Not 🤡 at all
The exact length was unknown from the beginning. But I guess that Not relevant.
Still recon is something completely different, then EU forces are deployed.
It’s also a ‘tripwire’ deployment, so that any attack would be verifiable and trigger Article 5.
No
EU leaders have made it clear they will open fire on hostile US soldiers.
I don't believe this part.
I'd rather think that normal civilians might shoot some of them, despite they are a very peaceful people.
No. They cancelled that and had an emergency meeting after Trump announced tariffs. They are caving because the same billionaires are gaining control of other countries
Incorrect. The American claim was that Denmark does not do enough to protect Greenland. The reaction to that was to increase the NATO presence on Greenland. Why this is being considered threatening behavior (when an ally does exactly what you ask of them) is because politicians want to play both sides of the argument. The hope is that every action can be spun in the press so they can get whatever outcome they please
The US already can expand its presence in Greenland legally. It is about annexation and no one is concealing anything, there is no subtlety. Announced to take Greenland right after having illegally kidnapping the president of Venezuela: this was and still is a direct threat from USA to Europe that they are willing to use force against NATO allies and nothing else.
Trump said he wasn't interested in peace, so there's no reason for France or any other country to take his genocide-supporting "Board of Peace" grift seriously.
Trump is throwing a tamper tantrum at every single little thing like a five year old. Which would be funny if not for the fact everyone is paying for his actions, except he himself who is suffering absolutely no consequences whatsoever.
This is fucking mad.
The most depressing part is that everyone around him just goes along with this shit. His orders have no weight unless someone executes them.
Trump also reiterated his plans to control Greenland, downplaying the likelihood of resistance from Europe.
“I don’t think they’re going to push back too much,” he said. “We have to have it ...They can’t protect it.”
Referring to Denmark’s historical claims over Greenland, Trump said the Danish leaders were “very good people,” but argued that a centuries-old presence did not confer ownership.
Gaslighting at it's best 😅
″[Just] because the boat went there 500 years ago and then left, that doesn’t give you title to property.” It was not clear what “boat” Trump was referring to.
But here I am pretty sure he was talking about Columbus and all the white people, how they cannot rightfully own America.
″[Just] because the boat went there 500 years ago and then left, that doesn’t give you title to property.” It was not clear what “boat” Trump was referring to.
That line is even crazier. The Norse established a settlement in 986 in Greenland. The funny part is that the Thule people, the ancestors of the Inuit arrived later then them and replaced the Dorest culture on Greenland and then later the Norse as well. Obviously there is a fairly direct linkt between the Norse and Danes.
Trump does not concern himself with facts.
Board of Peace - where trump bullies leaders, threatens to seize territory, or attempts to dictate what he thinks other countries should do to benefit him.
He has a peace price after all, so he must be an expert in peace stuff.
Can it really be accidental that Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ sounds like ‘Bored of Peace’? Feels like either a sneaky troll or Trump's subconscious breaking through.
They just want a piece of the board (the biggest piece)
Turns out the Board is actually a game of Risk.
Oh my gosh. Now I wonder what will happen to the Finland if our president refuses to joining his board. 200% tariffs for saunas?
Trump's a moron but the "good" French wine isn't even that great these days. À plus tard!
What a jackass though 🤦♂️.
Well, we wouldn't want to send the actually good stuff away...
"Orange idiot threatens to tax his own people to spite France"
Oh no..
Anyways
Well… only like 96% of that is a tax for Americans. But with the rest he sure showed France https://www.kielinstitut.de/publications/americas-own-goal-who-pays-the-tariffs-19398/