Supreme Court of the United States Strikes Down Donald Trump’s Emergency Tariffs in 6–3 Ruling
In a major setback for President Donald Trump, the US Supreme Court on Friday struck down his sweeping tariff measures, ruling that he exceeded his authority by imposing them under a law intended for national emergencies.
In a 6–3 decision authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court upheld a lower court’s finding that Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad tariffs was unlawful.
Roberts wrote that a president must “point to clear congressional authorisation” to justify such an extraordinary use of power. “He cannot,” Roberts concluded, emphasizing that tariff authority lies primarily with Congress.
Majority and Dissent
Joining Roberts in the majority were conservative Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett — both appointed by Trump during his first term — along with the court’s three liberal justices.
The dissenting justices were conservatives Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh.
What the Court Said
The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration’s interpretation of the IEEPA — claiming it allowed the president to impose tariffs without congressional approval — intruded on Congress’s constitutional authority.
The court cited the “major questions” doctrine, which requires clear authorization from Congress for executive actions of vast economic and political significance. The doctrine has previously been used by the court to limit major executive actions, including some taken during the presidency of Joe Biden.
Background of the Case
The legal challenge was brought by businesses affected by the tariffs and 12 states, most governed by Democrats. They argued that Trump’s unprecedented use of IEEPA to impose import taxes on nearly all US trading partners violated the Constitution.
Under the US Constitution, Congress — not the president — holds the power to impose taxes and tariffs. While Trump used other statutory authorities for certain additional tariffs (not at issue in this case), the challenged tariffs represented a significant portion of his administration’s trade measures.
The IEEPA allows a president to regulate commerce during a declared national emergency. However, Trump became the first president to use the law specifically to impose tariffs.
Trump had defended the tariffs as essential for US economic security, arguing that without them, America would be taken advantage of by countries such as China. He maintained that tariffs were necessary to protect American interests in global trade.
