Supreme Court tosses Pres. Trump’s tariffs

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - President Donald Trump has often boasted about the billions of dollars being raised by his tariffs, including Thursday night in Georgia. But Friday morning, the Supreme Court ruled that those tariffs - on imports from virtually every country – are illegal.

President Trump last April became the first president to claim that a 1977 law – the International Emergency Economic Powers Act - allowed him to unilaterally impose tariffs without Congressional approval.

But writing for a 6-3 majority, Chief Justice John Roberts ruled that the law known as IEEPA does not authorize the president to impose those tariffs.

Roberts wrote:

“The president asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration, and scope. In light of the breadth, history, and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorization to exercise it.”

Roberts went on to write: “Had Congress intended to convey the distinct and extraordinary power to impose tariffs, it would have done so expressly.”

Three conservative justices, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh, dissented.

The decision is a huge blow to President Trump who warned that a decision against the tariffs would be what he called the “biggest threat in history to U.S. national security” and “would literally destroy the United States of America.”

Following the decision, the President on Truth Social writing: “The Supreme Court’s Ruling on TARIFFS is deeply disappointing! I am ashamed of certain Members of the Court for not having the Courage to do what is right for our Country.”

He also spoke to reporters in the White House Briefing Room, “This was an important case to me, more as a symbol of economic, national security, and also, I would say, just for our country itself.”

Tariffs are paid by importers. For thousands of businesses, large and small, Friday’s ruling does not answer the question, will they receive a refund for paying those tariffs?

The President said his Administration will now to try to re-impose the tariffs using other legal authorities. Such a move will most certainly face more challenges in federal court.

Friday night, President Trump posted to social media that he’d signed an executive order, immediately imposing 10% tariffs globally.