The Supreme Court’s striking down of President Donald Trump’s global tariffs, while a relief to many, heralds more months of uncertainty as US businesses brace for new levies and a fight for refunds plays out.

Long road to refunds

The ruling sets up a long fight for tariff refunds, as the duties, now deemed illegal, generated some $133.5 billion from January 2025 to mid-December.

The top court did not address the refund issue, and analysts say this will be decided by lower courts in the coming months.

The US Court of International Trade is expected to manage this process, said ING analysts Carsten Brzeski and Julian Geib.

“Refunds won’t come automatically, as any importer that wants its money back must sue individually,” they said.

“This process has already kicked off, with over 1,000 corporate entities now involved in a legal fight.”

Trump told reporters Friday: “We’ll end up being in court for the next five years.”

More volatility

Hours after the court decision, Trump vowed to impose a new 10% tariff on imports under an alternative authority.

This is widely seen as a temporary move to pave the way for more durable tariffs, but is set to trigger other challenges and upheaval in the meantime.

The law Trump is tapping for this tariff — Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — only allows for a duty of 150 days unless Congress extends it.

Trump has said there will be new investigations of unfair trade practices under Section 301, a path towards more lasting duties.

Josh Lipsky, chair of international economics at the Atlantic Council, said Friday’s ruling merely “opens a new chapter” in Trump’s tariff policy.

There will be “more uncertainty, more volatility for businesses to navigate, and more fraught trade deals for countries to negotiate,” Lipsky added.

Losing speed

But for now, the court’s decision “removes one of Trump’s fastest tools for imposing broad tariffs,” said ING.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News on Friday that tariffs based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) “were custom-made for President Trump to assert leverage” against other countries.

“We were able to bring them to the table very quickly,” he said.

“We will get back to the same tariff level for the countries,” Bessent vowed. “It will just be in a less direct and slightly more convoluted manner.”

Trade deal uncertainty?

With tariffs imposed via emergency economic powers forming the basis of recent trade talks, analysts warned that some partners may try to rethink their commitments.

Lipsky expects economies that have already made deals to keep them rather than “risk unravelling an agreement which at least has provided some stability.”

But those still finalising deals may have more leverage now.

Asia Society Policy Institute senior vice president Wendy Cutler expects that walking away from announced deals “does not seem to be in the cards for our partners.”

“They know all too well that such a step could end up leaving them in a worse position with the White House,” she said.

Lower tariffs?

With the Supreme Court ruling, consumers “face an overall average effective tariff rate of 9.1%, which remains the highest since 1946, excluding 2025,” according to The Budget Lab at Yale University.

This is down from 16.9%.

Despite Trump’s plan to move towards more lasting duties, Navy Federal Credit Union chief economist Heather Long expects Friday’s ruling “will force a reset in tariff policy.”

She anticipates this is “likely to lead to lower overall tariff rates and a more orderly imposition of future tariffs.”

Conan O’Brien has shared his deep sadness following the tragic deaths of his friends, director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele. 

The couple were found dead in their home on 14 December, just one day after attending O’Brien’s annual Christmas party in Los Angeles.

Speaking to the New Yorker in a recently published interview, the comedian admitted he was still struggling to process the loss. 

“It’s just so awful,” O’Brien said, reflecting on Rob’s active role in the country and how much he put himself out there. 

He noted that having such a strong voice go quiet so suddenly is still hard for him to comprehend.

O’Brien and his wife had grown increasingly close to the couple in recent years. 

He described Rob and Michele as “lovely people” and recalled the chilling experience of saying goodnight to them at his party, only to learn they were gone the next day. 

The host shared that the shock of the news stayed with him for a long time afterward.

The tragedy took a darker turn when it was revealed that the couple had been stabbed to death. 

Their 32-year-old son, Nick, has since been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. 

Reports from the night of the party suggested that the family had argued during the event. 

Nick, an aspiring director who has a history of drug addiction and was being treated for schizophrenia, is currently facing a maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty.

The legal case has faced its own complications. 

Nick’s high-profile lawyer, Alan Jackson, unexpectedly dropped the case just before a scheduled court hearing in January. 

While Jackson refused to give specific reasons for stepping down, he told the Hot Mic podcast that something had happened that affected his team’s ability to continue. 

He made it clear that he would not be disclosing any confidential details, simply stating, “Once I’m done, I’m done.” 

Nick is now expected to be arraigned this Monday.

In a heartbreaking farewell released just after his death, Euphoria star Eric Dane has left a powerful final message for his two teenage daughters. 

The actor passed away on Thursday, 19 February, aged 53, following a ten-month battle with ALS. 

Before he died, Dane sat down for a secret interview with Netflix for the series Famous Last Words, which was only made public once he had passed. 

In the closing moments, the camera was left on Dane so he could speak directly to 15-year-old Billie and 14-year-old Georgia.

Starting with the emotional declaration, “Billie and Georgia, these words are for you,” Dane admitted that while he had his share of stumbles as a father, he always tried his best. 

He looked back fondly on their times together at the beach, telling his girls that he would always see them playing in the waves. 

He told them that those days were “heaven.”

Dane shared four vital life lessons he had gained while living with his illness. 

His first piece of advice was to stay grounded in the moment. “Live now, right now in the present. It’s hard, but I learned to do that,” he said. 

He explained that for years he had wasted time worrying about the past and second-guessing his choices, but his illness forced him to treasure the “now” as a matter of survival.

His second lesson was about finding purpose. 

“Second, fall in love. Not necessarily with a person, although I do recommend that as well. But fall in love with something,” he urged. 

He told his daughters how much he still loved acting, a passion he discovered at their age, and encouraged them to find whatever makes them want to get up in the morning and “really go for it.”

He also stressed the importance of having a strong support system.

“Third, choose your friends wisely. Find your people and allow them to find you, and then give yourselves to them. The best of them will give back to you. No judgement. No conditions. No questions asked.” 

Dane shared his deep gratitude for his own friends, who continued to show up and support him even when he could no longer do simple things like drive or get coffee.

Finally, he called on his daughters to be resilient. 

“Finally, fight with every ounce of your being and with dignity. When you face challenges, health or otherwise, fight,” he said. 

He reminded them that while the disease was affecting his body, it could never touch his spirit. 

He described himself as having the “superpower” of always getting back up, joking that a friend once compared him to a cat with fifteen lives instead of nine. 

He told the girls that even when life seems impossible, they must face it with honesty and grace.

Fighting back tears, Dane concluded his message with a final profession of love. 

“Billie and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you. Those are my last words.” 

Following his death, Dane’s family confirmed he was surrounded by his friends, his wife Rebecca Gayheart, and his daughters, who they said were the absolute centre of his world.