US Supreme Court Overturns Trump's Tariffs

(Patria) - The US Supreme Court ruled today that President Donald Trump violated federal law when he unilaterally imposed comprehensive tariffs on a global scale.

This decision represents a severe blow to the White House on an issue that is key to the president's foreign and economic policy, reports CNN.

This ruling is likely the most significant defeat the second Trump administration has suffered before the Supreme Court, which has a majority of conservative justices, according to Index.

Namely, last year, in a series of emergency decisions, the court repeatedly sided with the president in cases concerning immigration, the removal of heads of independent agencies, and deep cuts in state spending.

The Supreme Court's ruling does not affect all of Trump's tariffs. It focuses on his use of a 1977 law - the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which gives the president the authority to "regulate" trade in response to emergencies.

Trump first applied it in February 2025 to tax goods from China, Mexico, and Canada, stating that the drug trade from those countries constituted a national emergency.

He applied it again in April, ordering tariffs of 10% to 50% on goods from nearly every country in the world. He said the US trade deficit, where the US imports more than it exports, represents an "unusual and extraordinary threat."

This ruling does not affect industry-specific tariffs on steel, aluminum, lumber, and automobiles, which were implemented under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, citing national security concerns.

The US president repeatedly mentioned tariffs while speaking at an event in the US state of Georgia. He also said that without tariffs, "everyone would go bankrupt."

He argued that it was his "right" to set tariffs because he is president, and "the language was clear." He also complained about having to "wait for this decision" from the Supreme Court.

"I've been waiting an eternity. Forever," Trump said.

The Supreme Court justices heard arguments on the legality of Trump's tariffs in November. Trump's reaction to the ruling is still pending.

The majority opinion, joined by six of the nine justices, was written by Chief Justice John Roberts. The reasoning states that the tariffs are illegal because Trump exceeded his authority.

"The President claims an extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration, and scope. Given the reach, history, and constitutional context of the power he invokes, he must point to clear congressional authorization for its use," Roberts wrote on behalf of the court.

Furthermore, the court concluded that the emergency power Trump attempted to invoke "is not sufficient."