The US Supreme Court has expressed skepticism about President Donald Trump’s authority to impose tariffs on a vast range of goods from nearly all countries, signaling the justices may strike down or limit the administration’s signature economic policy.
Justice Neil M. Gorsuch wondered aloud about granting the president tariff authority with few bounds, citing concerns that Congress could “abdicate” its responsibility to regulate foreign commerce and declare war to the president.
The case is a significant test of whether the court will embrace or limit Trump’s assertions of broad executive power in his second term. The stakes are high, as the ruling could affect global trade, inflation, businesses, and individual wallets.
Trump has claimed the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) gives him authority to impose tariffs, but the law does not explicitly authorize it. Justice Elena Kagan pointed out that other tariff statutes use language about revenue-raising tariffs, unlike IEEPA’s vague wording.
Critics argue Trump overstepped his authority, and small businesses and states suing over the tariffs say they will be harmed by the policy. The court’s conservative majority has invoked a major questions doctrine to strike down previous Biden administration initiatives on student loan forgiveness, coronavirus vaccine mandates, and climate change.
The Supreme Court’s decision could have significant implications for public perception, particularly if the justices side with Trump.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/11/05/tariffs-trump-supreme-court-arguments