Newscast — “Trump’s Tariffs: The Beginning of the End?”
BBC News | February 21, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of the BBC’s Newscast focuses on two major stories: the US Supreme Court’s landmark ruling against President Donald Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs, and reflections on four years of war in Ukraine with former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Admiral Sir Tony Radakin. The podcasters examine the political and economic shockwaves from the US decision, Trump’s response and Plan B, and the growing debate about Western defense policy in light of the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

1. The Supreme Court vs. Trump’s Tariffs

[01:23–13:21]

Background: What Are Tariffs and Why Does Trump Like Them?

• Laura Kuenssberg [03:25]:

  • Tariffs are taxes on imports that raise the cost of foreign goods, purportedly to protect domestic industry.
  • Trump has made tariffs central to his economic nationalism and “America First” agenda, targeting “cheaper exports from other countries,” especially China.

• Paddy O’Connell [04:22]:

  • Clarifies tariffs in practice: “the tariff is paid by the company concerned or by the importer… the consumer ends up coughing up. It’s not government-to-government.”

Supreme Court Ruling: A Shock for Trump

• Gary O'Donoghue [05:42]:
  • The “6:3 conservative majority turned and 6:3 voted to strike down his signature policy.”
  • Tariffs are not simply economic tools but fundamental to Trump’s foreign policy.
  • Trump reacted with public fury, attacking even his own Supreme Court appointees and using insults such as “sleazebags, scumbags.”
• Memorable Quote (Donald Trump, quoted) [01:53]:
  • "They're very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution."

What Was the Legal Problem?

• Laura Kuenssberg [07:48]:

  • Issue hinges on Trump’s use of “emergency powers” for tariffs—the Court ruled there was no valid emergency, limiting his presidential authority.
  • “A major American institution spoiling Donald Trump’s fun and saying, sure, you can go that far, but no further.”

• Paddy O’Connell / Gary O'Donoghue [13:02]:

  • This is a vivid example of America’s “separation of powers... the judiciary saying, oi, White House, get back in your box.”

• Gary O'Donoghue [13:21]:

  • “The judiciary, the Supreme Court, are the guardians of the Constitution... They've decided this was an overreach. Ultravares.”

Trump’s Plan B: Alternative Routes for Tariffs

• Gary O’Donoghue [09:07]:

  • Section 232: Allows tariffs for national security reasons (previously used for steel and aluminum). Slower, sector-specific, investigation-heavy.
  • Section 122 (Trade Act of 1974): Temporary tariffs for trade imbalances (max 15%, Trump chose 10%) for up to 150 days — then needs Congress, which is unlikely.
  • Section 301 (same Act): Tariffs for unfair trade practices, requires process.
  • Key point: These routes are “much more complicated than just using emergency powers.”

• Laura Kuenssberg [10:06]:

  • “1974. Oh, this is going to be brilliant… Section 122.”

• Gary O’Donoghue [11:35]:

  • Trump’s 10% tariffs “will happen from Tuesday. And as Paddy was saying at the start, this is not paid by, this is not government to government, anything like it. This is paid by the importers. They will then pass it on to various suppliers... and eventually consumers.”

Impact for Business and Politics

• Paddy O’Connell [12:24]:
  • “Is this going to be clear for business? Absolutely not. This is going to be a huge mess for business and a huge political mess for the President.”
• Gary O’Donoghue [18:13]:
  • Excess (and contestation) of executive orders reflects a “sclerotic” legislature. “Trump is driven to executive orders… stroke of a pen can be undone by the stroke of a pen… creates a huge amount of uncertainty.”

Separation of Powers: The US System in Action

• Gary O’Donoghue [13:21]:
  • “This is how America is meant to work… The separation of power was the way to prevent overreach by any one part of the polity.”

Public and Political Reactions

• Gary O’Donoghue [15:57]:

  • Supreme Court may have “done [Trump] a favor… if costs start to fall…that actually might put some downward pressure on prices in a year when affordability is the big issue in the midterm election.”
  • Politics and justice are openly intertwined in the US: “The politicization of the justice system is there and real. And ironically, Donald Trump complained about… justices yesterday being political. Well, if ever the pot called the kettle black…”

• Laura Kuenssberg [14:45]:

  • Observes the unique, “mythological” status of the US Supreme Court—“completely alien to us in the UK.”

• Visual Symbolism

  • Supreme Court as “a temple to the Constitution.” — Paddy O’Connell [17:23]

2. Ukraine: Four Years On—Boris Johnson and Tony Radakin Interview

[22:53–34:12]

Setting the Stage: The War’s Ongoing Toll

• Laura Kuenssberg [22:53]:
  • Marks four years since the war began: “Four years later, the length of World War I, this conflict would still be raging...”

Johnson and Radakin: Advocating Bold Western Action

• Johnson’s Proposal [24:16]:

  • UK and allies should “send troops to Ukraine. Now, very importantly, not to fight, but troops should be sent to the safe areas of Ukraine right away to break the log jam... flip a switch in Putin’s brain to show that the West has genuine resolve...”

• Tony Radakin [24:16]:

  • If the West is willing to send “boots on the ground after the war,” why not now, as a non-combat “political thing” demonstrating unwavering support for Ukrainian sovereignty.

  • Quote [24:57]:

    • “Why not do it now? There’s no logical reason that I can see why we shouldn’t send some peaceful ground forces that to show our support, constitutional support, for a free, independent Ukraine... it’s about whether Ukraine is a free country or not.”

• Risks & Western Hesitancy

  • Laura Kuenssberg [28:42]:
    • “Some people might see that as being a real escalation, a real provocation to Vladimir Putin... Every time Putin said there was a red line, actually, it’s sort of gone away.”

Reflections and Regrets on Western Foreign Policy

• Johnson’s Critique [25:56]:
  • The West (including UK during his PM tenure) “emboldened” Putin by insufficient response to Crimea (2014), Assad’s chemical attacks, and the Afghan withdrawal.
  • Johnson admits: “We should have done more.”

Incrementalism and a Call for More Support

• Tony Radakin [c. 28:00]:
  • UK/Western support has been “incrementalism… too slow, too cautious. That means lives have been lost unnecessarily.”
  • Both urge more military and economic assistance to break the stalemate.

Broader Context: Defense and Political Debate

• Paddy O’Connell [30:14]:

  • Both Johnson and Radakin see the war as existential—“the west is being encouraged again and again to be more unified in Europe, to stop bickering… Europe’s got to pony up… and pay up.”
  • The direction toward greater defense spending is now “mainstream political conversation.”

• Laura Kuenssberg [31:09]:

  • Not all in the UK are convinced: “Some Radio 4 listeners… actually, it’s not a done deal that we want more defense spending. This argument is getting ahead of where some people in the British conversation are.”
  • Refers to alternative ideas (like Green Party or Labour) less enthusiastic about boosting the “military industrial complex.”

• Funding Defense: The Billion-Dollar Question

  • Where will the UK government find new defense spending by 2028-2029? Options floated: war bonds, tax rises, reallocating funds.

• Laura Kuenssberg [33:18]:

  • The “peace dividend” is “gone”: the period when Britain spent less on defense than on the NHS has ended.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Donald Trump, quoted [01:53]:
  • “They're very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution.”
• Gary O’Donoghue [05:42]:
  • “Tariff is Donald Trump’s favorite word... this is not just an economic thing... this is the tool of foreign policy.”
• Laura Kuenssberg [07:48]:
  • “A major American institution spoiling Donald Trump’s fun and saying, sure, you can go that far, but no further.”
• Gary O’Donoghue [13:21]:
  • “This is how America is meant to work... The judiciary... are the guardians of the Constitution.”
• Boris Johnson (via Laura Kuenssberg) [22:53]:
  • Urges sending non-combat troops to safe areas in Ukraine “to break the logjam, to... flip a switch in Putin’s brain...”
• Tony Radakin [24:57]:
  • “There’s no logical reason that I can see why we shouldn’t send some peaceful ground forces... for a free, independent Ukraine.”
• Gary O’Donoghue [15:57]:
  • “It’s not final because it’s infallible. It’s infallible because it’s final.”

Key Timestamps

• Tariffs 101 & Political Context [03:25–05:31]
• Supreme Court Ruling & Trump’s Reaction [05:42–07:22]
• Legal Rationale & Executive Power [07:22–13:21]
• Public Response & Mythology of the US Judiciary [14:45–17:11]
• Johnson/Radakin on Ukraine: New Western Strategy [22:53–28:18]
• Western Policy Debates & Defense Spending [30:14–33:18]

Closing Thoughts

This episode provides an insightful, accessible breakdown of two world-shaping news stories. The hosts clarify key concepts (like tariffs), break down the drama (and dysfunction) in the US political arena, and offer rare behind-the-scenes UK perspective on the momentous Ukraine conflict. Both segments tie strongly into the present moment’s big questions: who really wields power in Washington, and how the West can respond to global threats—and afford the costs.

For more: The full Boris Johnson/Tony Radakin interview airs on the BBC News Channel at 20:30 GMT.