U.S President Donald Trump
U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday pressed the Trump administration with tough questions over whether President Donald Trump had the legal authority to impose broad tariffs under a decades-old emergency law.
During the more than two-hour hearing, both conservative and liberal justices challenged the administration’s interpretation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977, which Trump invoked to justify sweeping tariffs on several U.S. trading partners.
Chief Justice John Roberts, appointed by Republican former President George W. Bush, pointedly remarked, “The vehicle is imposition of taxes on Americans, and that has always been the core power of Congress.” His comment underscored a central concern among the justices—that Trump may have overstepped constitutional limits by bypassing Congress to impose trade measures.
The case stems from tariffs first rolled out by Trump in April, targeting multiple nations in an effort to address what he described as “threats to national security” posed by U.S. trade deficits. The administration later modified some of the tariff rates, but critics argued that the president’s use of emergency powers was a misuse of the 1977 law.
A lower appeals court had previously ruled against Trump, stating that tariffs fell under the legislative authority of Congress, not the executive branch—dealing a significant blow to his aggressive trade agenda.
In appealing the decision, Trump’s legal team contended that removing the president’s ability to impose such tariffs could undermine trade agreements forged with key partners, as many of those negotiations, they argued, were conducted under pressure from the contested tariffs.
The Supreme Court has not yet indicated when a ruling will be issued, though U.S. media outlets suggest a decision could take several weeks or even months.
(dpa/NAN)
