New Delhi: The Supreme Court of the United States has struck down tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on countries around the world, dealing a major blow to his economic agenda.
In a 6-3 majority ruling, the court held that the power to levy taxes rests with Congress and not with the President. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, said the US Constitution clearly grants taxation powers to Congress and that the framers did not vest such authority in the executive branch.
The Trump administration had argued that a 1977 federal law allowing the President to regulate commerce during a national emergency also gave him the authority to impose tariffs. The court, however, rejected that interpretation.
In April 2025, Trump had declared the US trade deficit a national emergency and imposed sweeping import taxes on nearly every country.
Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh dissented from the ruling. Kavanaugh argued that irrespective of the policy’s merits, the President should have been considered to possess such authority under the law.
