In a major setback to President Donald Trump’s economic agenda, the United States Supreme Court has struck down his broad imposition of global tariffs, ruling that he exceeded his presidential authority by using emergency powers for such measures.
The court’s 6-3 decision, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts and joined by a mix of conservative and liberal justices, invalidates tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, affecting reciprocal fees applied to nearly every U.S. trading partner.
This marks the first significant element of Trump’s trade agenda to be directly reviewed by the nation’s highest court, which he helped shape through the appointment of three conservative justices during his first term.
While the ruling does not affect all of Trump’s tariffs, it specifically targets those enacted without congressional approval. The decision could result in substantial refunds for affected businesses and may reshape international trade relations.
The Supreme Court delivered the verdict on Friday in Washington, D.C., emphasizing that the 1977 emergency law was not intended for routine tariff impositions and that legislative oversight is essential to prevent executive overreach.
“The Framers did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch,” Chief Justice Roberts wrote in the majority opinion, noting that the Constitution clearly grants Congress the authority to impose taxes, including tariffs.
Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented. “The tariffs at issue here may or may not be wise policy. But as a matter of text, history, and precedent, they are clearly lawful,” Kavanaugh wrote.
President Trump reacted swiftly to the ruling, calling it a “disgrace” during remarks to governors. The administration also signaled plans to explore alternative authorities for reinstating the affected import fees.
