The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down President Donald Trump’s global tariffs may have saved him from himself politically. While the ruling is a major setback for Trump’s agenda, it also strips him of tools that were causing short-term economic damage and hurting his party’s chances in the upcoming midterm elections.
Trump has quickly signaled he’ll launch new 10% global tariffs under a different authority, but this move may not be as strong as he claims. The court’s decision curtails Trump’s tariff powers significantly, limiting the ability to implement huge tariffs without Congressional approval.
This setback could lead to soul-searching in the GOP about whether to continue supporting Trump’s trade gambits. Some Republicans have praised the decision, but many are quietly critical of Trump’s approach to trade policy. With the midterm elections looming, it remains to be seen if Trump will try to push forward with tariffs despite these limitations.
The ruling also comes at a time when the economy is showing signs of stagnation, with a 1.4% annualized GDP growth rate in the fourth quarter and a year of weak job numbers. The uncertainty surrounding trade policies has put a damper on economic growth, making it harder for Trump to claim that his tariffs are benefiting the country.
In contrast, the alternatives available to Trump under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 limit tariffs to 15% for a period of 150 days, with Congress needing to extend them. This means that even if Trump tries to use this section, he’ll face significant limitations and may struggle to make trade deals with other countries.
As Trump considers his next move, it’s unclear whether he’ll try to truly go big on tariffs again or abandon the approach altogether. The Supreme Court’s decision has created a power vacuum, and it remains to be seen how Republicans will respond to this opportunity to distance themselves from Trump’s trade policy.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/21/politics/tariffs-ruling-supreme-court-trump-gop