The U.S. Supreme Court justices — including several conservatives — raised tough questions for Donald Trump’s administration as they examined whether the former president had the constitutional authority to impose sweeping tariffs using a 1977 emergency law.
During a two-hour hearing on Wednesday, the court listened to arguments from both sides — Trump’s legal team defending his trade actions and opponents claiming he overstepped his powers. Although a ruling date remains uncertain, analysts suggest it could take weeks or even months before a final judgment is delivered.
Chief Justice John Roberts, appointed by former Republican President George W. Bush, made a striking comment during the session: “The vehicle is imposition of taxes on Americans, and that has always been the core power of Congress.” His statement underscored the tension between presidential authority and legislative oversight in trade matters.
The dispute centers on tariffs first imposed by Trump in April 2020, targeting multiple U.S. trading partners. Relying on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Trump claimed that growing trade deficits threatened national security — giving him the right to act without Congressional approval.
However, a lower appeals court disagreed, ruling that such tariffs fall squarely under Congress’s constitutional powers, thereby challenging Trump’s broad interpretation of executive authority.
In its appeal, Trump’s administration warned that curbing presidential power over tariffs could undermine existing trade deals with key global partners — many of which were negotiated under pressure from these same contested measures.
The case is now seen as a defining moment for the limits of presidential power in economic policymaking — and could reshape how future presidents wield emergency trade authority in the name of national security.
