Tariff ruling: Meet the Trump-appointed Supreme Court judges who went against him
Times of India
by TOI WORLD DESKFebruary 21, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling on February 20, 2026, invalidating President Donald Trump’s global tariffs in a 6–3 decision. The court’s verdict not only struck down one of Trump’s most significant economic policies but also saw two of his own appointees, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, joining the majority against him. This historic ruling underscored the limits of presidential power and highlighted a deep divide among conservative justices over constitutional authority.
At the heart of the case was whether Trump could invoke emergency powers under national-security law to impose tariffs without congressional approval. The court ruled that such broad action exceeded statutory authority. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts emphasized that major economic decisions require explicit congressional authorization and cannot rely on vague legal language. He warned that allowing a president to reshape the economy through unilateral actions would undermine the separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution.
Gorsuch, known for his strict interpretation of constitutional limits on executive power, argued that major economic policies must be explicitly authorized by Congress. Barrett, widely seen as one of the court’s most conservative members, agreed, stating that presidents cannot take decisions with far-reaching economic consequences without clear congressional delegation. Their votes marked a rare rebuke to Trump from justices he had appointed, signaling a shift within the conservative legal establishment.
The ruling exposed a significant split among the court’s conservative bloc. While Roberts, Gorsuch, and Barrett formed a three-member majority against Trump, Justices Clarence Thomas
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Originally published on Times of India on 2/21/2026