Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump Tariffs
The Supreme Court ruled President Trump's sweeping emergency tariffs illegal, prompting CNN to call it a major defeat while the Wall Street Journal demanded an apology from Trump for his rant against justices like Roberts and Kavanaugh. California Governor Newsom demanded refunds for the $1,700 per household cost imposed by the tariffs. The WSJ labeled Trump's response his presidency's worst moment.
- The Supreme Court's 6-3 decision found that President Trump overstepped his authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) to unilaterally impose tariffs, with the majority opinion stating the power to tax belongs to Congress. - The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, was joined by Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson, as well as Trump's own appointees, Justices Gorsuch and Barrett. - Justices Kavanaugh, Alito, and Thomas dissented, with Kavanaugh's dissent arguing that as a matter of "text, history, and precedent," the tariffs were "clearly lawful." - This ruling specifically strikes down the IEEPA-based tariffs, including the broad "reciprocal" tariffs and "fentanyl tariffs" on goods from China, Mexico, and Canada; it does not impact tariffs imposed under other laws, like the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs. - While the court invalidated the tariffs, it did not specify how or when the government should refund the estimated $100 billion to $175 billion collected. - The process for businesses to reclaim duties paid is expected to be complex, likely requiring individual lawsuits in the U.S. Court of International Trade or formal protests filed with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. - In response to the ruling, President Trump announced he would use a different law, Section 122 of the Trade Act, to impose a new 10% global tariff, an authority that is limited to 150 days without congressional approval.
