In a major setback to United State President Donald Trump’s economic agenda, the American Supreme Court on Friday invalidated his sweeping global tariff regime. The 6-3 ruling focused on duties introduced under an emergency powers statute, including the broad “reciprocal” tariffs applied to imports from nearly every country.
The case marks the first major element of Trump’s second-term policy programme to be reviewed by the top court, which he helped reshape by appointing three conservative justices during his first presidency. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh dissented from the majority view.
Trump had repeatedly described the case as one of historic importance, warning that an adverse verdict would deal a serious blow to the US economy. However, opposition to the tariffs cut across ideological lines, drawing criticism from libertarian and pro-business organisations often aligned with Republicans. Public surveys have also indicated limited support for tariffs, particularly as voters remain concerned about rising living costs.
The judgment comes even as Trump has secured a string of interim victories on the court’s emergency docket, enabling his administration to move ahead with assertive executive actions on matters such as high-profile dismissals and significant reductions in federal spending.
Here’s the full order of the US Supreme Court
Importantly, the ruling does not prevent the administration from imposing tariffs through other statutory routes. Although those alternatives come with tighter procedural and substantive limits, senior officials have indicated that efforts are underway to maintain the broader tariff framework using different legal authorities, reported AP.
Under the US Constitution, the authority to impose tariffs rests with Congress. The administration had argued that a 1977 law permitting the president to regulate imports during national emergencies also extended to setting tariffs. While past presidents have relied on the statute multiple times, primarily to enforce sanctions, Trump was the first to invoke it as a basis for levying import duties.
