US Supreme Court Blocks Trump Tariffs

The US Supreme Court has blocked some of the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump in a 6-3 decision.

The Supreme Court ruled that Trump exceeded his authority by imposing sweeping tariffs through a law intended solely for national emergency situations.

The decision focuses on the use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which grants the president the power to 'regulate' trade balances in response to emergencies.

Trump first invoked this law in February 2025 to impose taxes on products from China, Mexico, and Canada, arguing that drug trafficking from these countries constituted an emergency. He reactivated it in April, imposing tariffs of 10% to 50% on products from almost every country, claiming that the US trade deficit constituted an 'extraordinary and unusual threat'.

Tariffs concerning specific sectors – such as steel, aluminum, timber, and automobiles – which were imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, are not affected by the Court's decision.