Opinion | Is This the Most Important Supreme Court Case of the Century?

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by David French

February 22, 2026

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The U.S. Supreme Court has delivered a landmark ruling that could be one of the most significant decisions of the 21st century. In a 6-3 vote, the court struck down President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose sweeping global tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China. This decision, which hinged on the legal principle known as the “major questions doctrine,” underscored the court’s role in checking executive power and reinforcing constitutional limits on presidential authority. The majority justices—John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Amy Coney Barrett, and Neil Gorsuch—agreed that Trump’s tariffs represented an overreach of presidential authority. In his opinion, Chief Justice Roberts emphasized the economic magnitude of the case, comparing it to other high-profile disputes, such as Biden v. Nebraska, which blocked President Joe Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness program. The court’s ruling effectively curtailed what many viewed as a bold attempt by Trump to expand executive power in foreign and economic policy. The decision also highlighted the significance of the major questions doctrine, a legal principle that requires executive branch officials to clearly identify statutory authority for any extraordinary powers they claim. As Justice Gorsuch explained in his concurring opinion, this doctrine ensures that Congress retains control over legislative decisions, preventing the executive branch from assuming powers not explicitly granted by law. This ruling aligns with a growing trend of the court using this doctrine to limit administrative and executive overreach, as seen in cases involving both Trump and Biden administrations. For readers interested in news and constitutional law, this

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Originally published on NYT Homepage on 2/22/2026