Supreme Court Split Over Tariffs Highlights Conservative Divide

The Supreme Court rejected President Trump’s tariffs after the court’s six conservative justices splintered over their legality. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote the court’s 6-3 majority opinion, joined by the three liberal justices and by Justices Neil M.

Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett; Justices Brett M. Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented. The majority concluded the president exceeded his authority by using an emergency statute to impose sprawling tariffs on nearly every U.S. trading partner without congressional approval.

The justices differed on how much deference a president is due after declaring an emergency and on the application of the so‑called major questions doctrine; Chief Justice Roberts said the president could not "'point to clear congressional authorization'" to justify his extraordinary assertion of power.

United States

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