U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs

Foreign Policy

by Alexandra Sharp

February 20, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a significant blow to President Donald Trump’s trade policies by striking down his global tariffs in a 6-3 ruling. The court determined that the president lacks inherent authority to impose tariffs during peacetime under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). This decision aligns with a lower court’s earlier ruling, which argued that the IEEEP A does not grant the executive branch the power to levy such duties without congressional approval. The case centered on whether the president could use the IEEPA to impose tariffs during peacetime. The majority opinion, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, stated, “The Government thus concedes that the President enjoys no inherent authority to impose tariffs during peacetime.” This ruling has far-reaching implications, as more than 60% of U.S. tariff revenue last year was generated from

Verticals

politicsinternational

Originally published on Foreign Policy on 2/20/2026