Asia’s US trade deals in doubt after Trump’s Supreme Court tariff defeat
South China Morning Post
by Biman MukherjiFebruary 23, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling has cast doubt over President Donald Trump’s ability to impose tariffs using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The court ruled that the law does not grant the president the authority to levy tariffs in the manner he did, particularly under his "Liberation Day" proclamation in April 2018. This decision has left Asian nations, which have signed trade deals with Washington over the past year, uncertain about the future of their agreements.
The IEEPA, a statute from 1977, was central to Trump’s tariff strategy during his presidency. He used it to justify imposing "reciprocal" tariffs on imports from various countries
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Originally published on South China Morning Post on 2/23/2026