U.S. President Donald Trump has lambasted the Supreme Court as “disloyal” and “unpatriotic” after the bench struck down his sweeping global tariff policy in a landmark 6-3 ruling on Friday.
In a significant blow to the administration’s economic agenda, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that President Donald Trump exceeded his constitutional authority by imposing sweeping global tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The 6-3 decision, which saw Trump appointees Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett side with the liberal wing and Chief Justice John Roberts, established that the power to levy such broad import taxes resides exclusively with Congress. While the court allowed certain sector-specific duties to remain, it effectively invalidated the “reciprocal” tariffs that have targeted American trading partners since last year.
President Trump reacted with sharp criticism during a White House press briefing, targeting the justices who ruled against him. “The supreme court’s ruling on tariffs is deeply disappointing, and I’m ashamed of certain members of the court, absolutely ashamed, for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country,” the President said. He further described the ruling as a “disgrace” and questioned the motivations of his own appointees, labeling their concurrence as “an embarrassment to their families.” Despite the legal setback, Trump immediately announced a “backup plan,” pledging to sign an executive order imposing a new 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.
The ruling has triggered immediate financial uncertainty, as U.S. Customs has already collected more than $130 billion in duties that may now be subject to massive refund claims. While the court did not provide a specific roadmap for returning the funds, the decision that the levies were collected unlawfully opens the door for extensive litigation by thousands of affected U.S. importers. Chief Justice Roberts, writing for the majority, emphasized that the 1977 emergency law “cannot bear” the weight of the President’s assertion of independent power to impose tariffs of unlimited amount and duration.
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