Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Trump-Era Tariffs
The U.S. Supreme Courtโฃ will hear โarguments in early November regarding the legality โฃof tariffs imposed by former President โคDonald Trump. These tariffs, implemented through the invocation of emergency โฃeconomic powers,โฃ have generated billions of dollars in revenue and yielded concessions from U.S. trading partners, including investment commitments and improvedโ conditions for American exporters. https://www.rts.ch/info/monde/2025/article/la-cour-supreme-us-examinera-la-legalite-des-droits-de-douane-de-trump-28994142.html
the Bidenโค administration is actively involved in the case, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent โขand U.S.Trade representative Jamieson Greer planning to attend the hearing. Trump himself stated onโฃ his Truth Social networkโ thatโ maintaining the tariffsโ is a “question of โฃlife and death” forโค the United States, arguing they are crucial for โขnational defense against countries he claims โขhaveโข historically exploited the U.S.
Aโฃ decision from the Court is expected within severalโ months, though a quicker ruling is also possible.
Emergency Economic โคPowers Act at Issue
Since returning to โคoffice, Trump has utilized โtariffs โas a โcentral component of his economic and diplomatic strategy. He asserts theseโค measures are vital forโข reindustrializing the U.S., reducing the trade deficit, and addressing the fentanyl crisis by imposing tariffs on countries like Mexico, Canada, and China.
Trump invoked โthe International Emergency Economic Powers Actโ (IEEPA) of 1977, claiming the โlong-standing U.S. trade deficit constitutesโข aโ “national emergency,” granting him the authority to unilaterallyโ impose and adjust tariffs.
Thisโ action prompted legal challenges from affected businesses and Democratic states, who argue that the power to impose taxes rests solely with Congress, impacting both โbusinesses and consumers.
Several federal courts have previously ruled against the legality of these tariffs, specifically those not tied to specific sectors like automobiles or steel. However, these tariffsโ remained in โฃeffect pending the Supreme Court’s review. https://www.rts.ch/info/monde/2025/article/cour-d-appel-us-juge-illegaux-des-droits-de-douane-de-trump-ce-qui-change-28983164.html
Debate Over Presidentialโ Authority
The government’s legal argument centers on the assertion that โคtariffs are essential for โคU.S. economic strength. Opponents contend that the administration’s position woudl grant the President unchecked โขpower to impose tariffs “whenever he wants, at the rate he wants, on any contry and product he wants, andโค for provided that he wants,” simply โคby declaring a trade deficit an “emergency.” They highlight Trump’s history of shifting positions on trade policy as evidenceโค of the โpotential for arbitrary request.
Twelve Democratic states involved inโข the case argue that Congress, not the President, holds the constitutional authority to regulate taxes on imported โgoods, โฃand urge the Supreme Court to uphold this principle.
The Court will also consider broader questions regarding the scope of presidential powers, including the authority to dismiss heads of autonomous federal agencies, such as those at the Federal Reserve.
Source: ats/iar
