Trump tariffs were struck down by the US Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision that found the president lacked authority to unilaterally impose sweeping duties under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the Framers did not vest taxing power in the Executive Branch.
The majority said the emergency powers law does not authorize tariffs of major economic significance and invoked the major questions doctrine, with Roberts joined by Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett on that point, while the three liberal justices joined other parts of the majority opinion but did not join the major questions analysis.
Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, with Kavanaugh calling the tariffs lawful on the basis of text, history and precedent, and Kavanaugh wrote the process for returning collected funds would likely be a "mess," a phrase he acknowledged at oral argument.
Reactions And Consequences
President Donald Trump called the ruling "deeply disappointing" and said he was "absolutely ashamed" of certain justices, calling some "disloyal to our Constitution" and "lapdogs," and he accused the court of being swayed by foreign interests, remarks he made after the decision.
In response the president signed an order imposing a global 10% tariff under Section 122, effective almost immediately, and announced new Section 301 investigations and other inquiries aimed at unfair trade practices, stating alternatives would replace the emergency-law tariffs the court rejected.
Federal data shows the Treasury collected more than $133 billion from the import taxes the administration imposed under the emergency powers law, and the decision has been estimated to affect about $3 trillion over the next decade, as reported by the sources.
Businesses and states that sued have already sought refunds in lower courts, and large firms such as Costco are among those lining up to demand repayments, while small businesses that challenged the tariffs celebrated the ruling, including Learning Resources CEO Rick Woldenberg and Scottish Gourmet owner Anne Robinson.
Political reaction split, with Vice President JD Vance calling the decision "lawlessness" and Rep. Buddy Carter calling it judicial overreach, while Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Don Bacon praised the ruling for upholding constitutional checks, and House Speaker Mike Johnson said Congress and the administration will determine next steps.
