US Supreme Court rules against Trumps import tariffs

The U.S. Supreme Court recognized that introduction of import tariffs by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was not authorized under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

The Supreme Court therefore supported the verdict of the lower instance.

"The Government reads IEEPA to give the President power to unilaterally impose unbounded tariffs and change them at will. That view would represent a transformative expansion of the President’s authority over tariff policy," the verdict indicates.

Six judges voted for this decision, while three were against it.

"It is also telling that in IEEPA’s half century of existence, no President has invoked the statute to impose any tariffs, let alone tariffs of this magnitude and scope. That 'lack of historical precedent,' coupled with the breadth of authority that the President now claims, suggests that the tariffs extend beyond the President’s 'legitimate reach'," the Supreme Court said.

At the same time, the Supreme Court did not clarify whether the U.S. administration should return the money paid as tariffs earlier.

"The Court says nothing today about whether, and if so how, the government should go about returning the billions of dollars that it has collected from importers," Justice Brett Kavanaugh said.

On April 2, 2025, the U.S. leader announced tariffs on products from 185 countries and territories. Trump later changed the tariff rate for imports of goods from some countries.