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Macron says US Supreme Court tariff ruling shows it is good to have counterweights to power in democracies

By Thomson Reuters Feb 21, 2026 | 2:55 AM

PARIS, Feb 21 (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that the U.S. Supreme ​Court ruling on President Donald ‌Trump’s trade tariffs shows that it is good to have counterweights to power and the rule of law in ‌democracies.

“It ​is not bad ⁠to have a Supreme ⁠Court and, therefore, the rule of law,” he said at the annual agricultural salon in Paris, ​in response to a question about Friday’s ruling by the ⁠U.S. Supreme Court ⁠that tariffs imposed by President ​Donald Trump under an economic emergency ​law were illegal.

“It is good to ‌have power and counterweights to power in democracies,” Macron said.

He added that France would consider the ⁠consequences of Trump’s new 10% global tariff and adapt and the country wants ⁠to continue ‌to export its products, ⁠including agricultural, luxury, fashion ​and ‌aeronautical goods.

He said that a ​calm ⁠mindset was needed and that the fairest rule was “reciprocity” and not to “be subjected to unilateral decisions.”

(Reporting by Layli Foroudi; Editing by Sharon Singleton, ​Kirsten Donovan)