Supreme Court to rule on Trump cases

President Donald Trump is heading into the final weeks of the Supreme Court’s term with four major disputes still awaiting decisions, after already losing one of the biggest cases of his second presidency on tariffs. Reuters reported on May 20 that the pending cases involve Trump’s order restricting birthright citizenship, his attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, his bid to remove a Federal Trade Commission member, and his effort to end temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Haiti and Syria. The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority and includes three justices Trump appointed in his first term, is expected to issue the rulings by around the end of June. Reuters said the justices are next set to release opinions on Thursday. ### Which Trump case has the court already decided? On February 20, the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s sweeping global tariffs in *Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump*, ruling that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize a president to impose tariffs. The decision undercut a central part of Trump’s economic agenda and marked a significant limit on unilateral presidential action in trade. (srnnews.com) The court’s syllabus said Trump had used IEEPA to impose 25% duties on most Canadian and Mexican imports, 10% duties on most Chinese imports tied to drug-trafficking concerns, and at least 10% tariffs on imports from all trading partners under a separate trade-deficit emergency declaration. The ruling was 6-3, according to SCOTUSblog and multiple news reports. ### What is at stake in the birthright citizenship case? On the first day of his second term, Trump signed an executive order directing agencies not to recognize the citizenship of children born in the United States if neither parent is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. (usnews.com) Reuters reported that the order was quickly blocked and that the case asks whether the directive conflicts with the 14th Amendment and a federal law codifying birthright citizenship. (supreme.justia.com) During April 1 arguments, most justices signaled skepticism about the legality of the order, Reuters reported. Georgia State University law professor Anthony Michael Kreis told Reuters that the administration was “probably looking at a 7-2 loss,” while University of Pennsylvania professor Rogers Smith said support for current birthright citizenship rules has remained durable in Congress and among the public. (srnnews.com) ### Why is Lisa Cook’s case bigger than one personnel dispute? Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, sued after Trump moved to fire her in August 2025. CBS reported that Trump said he had “sufficient cause” based on alleged mortgage fraud, while Cook denied wrongdoing and had not been criminally charged. CBS and Reuters both reported that no president had previously tried to remove a Fed governor since the central bank was created in 1913. (srnnews.com) At the Supreme Court’s January arguments, several justices appeared reluctant to back Trump’s effort, according to CBS and Reuters. The case is being watched closely because it could define how far a president can go in removing officials at agencies Congress designed to operate with some independence from the White House. ### What are the FTC and immigration cases about? Reuters reported that another pending case concerns Trump’s move to oust a Federal Trade Commission member, a dispute tied to the long-running question of whether presidents can remove officials at independent agencies without cause. (cbsnews.com) A separate immigration case involves the administration’s effort to end temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Haiti and Syria. Those cases are part of a broader stack of litigation over Trump’s second-term use of executive power. Reuters reported that, while the court has often sided with the administration in emergency matters since Trump returned to office in 2025, questions from the bench suggest the administration may face setbacks in at least some of the cases still pending. ### When will the answers arrive? May 20 is still early in the court’s decision season, but Reuters and CBS both said the remaining opinions are expected before the term wraps up in late June or before July begins. (srnnews.com) The next scheduled opinion day is Thursday, and the Trump cases on birthright citizenship, Lisa Cook, the FTC firing dispute and temporary protected status remain among the most closely watched matters on the docket.