The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Trump unlawfully used emergency powers to impose global tariffs, striking down a central pillar of his trade policy.
The Supreme Court of the United States on Friday struck down sweeping global tariffs imposed by Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, ruling 6-3 in an opinion authored by John Roberts that the president exceeded his authority because the Constitution grants Congress the power to issue tariffs; the court held that the administration’s interpretation of the law would intrude on congressional powers and violate the “major questions” doctrine, stating that the president must “point to clear congressional authorization” to justify such sweeping tariffs and adding, “He cannot,” while the decision upheld lower-court rulings against the policy, potentially requiring refunds of billions collected and leaving the administration exploring alternative legal pathways to maintain some tariffs.