The Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's global tariffs, ruling they were unconstitutional as the power to tax belongs solely to Congress. Trump, though dealt a stinging loss, vowed to impose new tariffs under different legal authority.
In a major setback for President Donald Trump, the Supreme Court struck down his sweeping global tariffs, ruling that the Executive Branch lacks the constitutional authority to unilaterally impose such taxes. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, emphasized that the power to levy tariffs rests with Congress, not the President, and applied the "major questions doctrine." This decision upends a key part of Trump's economic strategy to remake global trade. Despite the ruling, Trump fiercely criticized the court's decision as "incorrect" and immediately vowed to implement new 10% global tariffs, asserting he has "very powerful alternatives" under different, rarely used laws. Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas dissented, arguing the tariffs were lawful. The ruling has significant implications for global economies and trade relations. It also opens the door for businesses to seek refunds for billions of dollars collected under the now-unconstitutional tariffs. Challengers, including small businesses and states, hailed the decision as a victory for constitutional principles, while European officials sought clarity on the U.S. administration's next steps. This marks the first major piece of Trump's broad agenda to be definitively struck down by the Supreme Court, despite his appointment of three justices.
