Supreme Court Rules Trump Tariffs Exceeded Authority

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Friday that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority under federal law when he imposed sweeping tariffs on imports from multiple countries, marking a significant check on executive power in trade policy. The decision, issued in Washington, D.C., addressed tariffs enacted in 2025 using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a 1977 law designed to address national emergencies.

Chief Justice John Roberts authored the majority opinion, joined by Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch and the court's three liberal justices. The ruling held that the act does not authorize the president to levy tariffs, as it lacks explicit congressional approval for such measures. "The president asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration, and scope," Roberts wrote. "In light of the breadth, history, and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorization to exercise it. IEEPA's grant of authority to regulate... importation falls short."

The tariffs at issue stemmed from Trump's declaration of a national emergency in April 2025, citing the U.S. trade...