BREAKING: Supreme Court Rules 6-3 Against Trump Tariffs
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs cannot be sustained, striking down a central part of his economic agenda. The majority held that IEEPA dose not authorize the president to impose tariffs,and that Congress retains the power to tax. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion, joined by Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch, as well as the court’s liberal justices. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented. The decision narrows the president’s ability to unilaterally deploy emergency powers to shape global trade. Trump had used IEEPA to implement reciprocal tariffs on most countries, and ther was no immediate public response from him at the time of the ruling’s publication.
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Friday against President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, striking down a central part of his economic agenda.
The case focused on tariffs Trump imposed under a 1977 emergency powers law known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
NEW: The Supreme Court has held that IEEPA does not authorize the president to impose tariffs.https://t.co/BKgNq0lxKW
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) February 20, 2026
🚨 In a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court STRIKES DOWN President Trump’s tariffs, holding that the President CANNOT use the IEEPA and Congress alone has the taxing power.
Roberts delivered the opinion/judgment of the Court. Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh dissent. pic.twitter.com/6dlL2OJruZ
— SCOTUS Wire (@scotus_wire) February 20, 2026
Trump used that law to impose reciprocal tariffs on most countries beginning last year.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority that the IEEPA “does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.”
Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch sided with Roberts and the court’s three liberals.
The Supreme Court’s decision against Trump’s emergency tariffs is a complete mess, both as a matter of logic and construction, as the opinion has different majorities in different sections. The justices themselves couldn’t even consistently agree on the ruling.
As Kavanaugh… pic.twitter.com/ndwMeIpBb5
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) February 20, 2026
Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented, the Associated Press reported.
Trump declared the trade deficit an emergency before taking office and used the IEEPA to level the global trade playing field.
The president had not responded to the ruling as of the time of publication.
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