Trump tariffs live updates: Supreme Court strikes down president’s plan in major blow to MAGA agenda
The Supreme Court has struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, marking the end of one of his signature economic initiatives.
In a 6–3 decision released on Friday morning, the justices ruled that Trump’s levies were not authorized under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which permits the president to regulate trade in “unusual and extraordinary” circumstances when a national emergency is declared.
Chief Justice John Roberts authored the ruling, and was joined by conservative Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett in addition to the high court’s three liberal justices.
“The president asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration, and scope,” Roberts wrote. “In light of the breadth, history, and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorization to exercise it.”
Previously, two lower courts, including the U.S. Court of International Trade, sided with the businesses that sued the administration, saying the president had overstepped his authority when declaring a national emergency.
The president reportedly described the decision as a “disgrace.” He previously warned that the U.S. would be “SCREWED” if the justices ruled against him.
Trump calls court’s ruling a ‘disgrace’: report
President Donald Trump has responded to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision to strike down his tariffs.
During a White House breakfast on Friday morning, he called the decision a “disgrace,” according to CNN, which reported that he “has a backup plan.”
Brendan Rascius20 February 2026 15:41
Republican senator decries court ruling as ‘outrageous’ and a victory for ‘globalists’
Sen. Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican, decried the court’s ruling as “outrageous” and called it a victory for “globalists.”
“These tariffs protected jobs, revived manufacturing, and forced cheaters like China to pay up,” the Trump-allied lawmaker wrote in a post on X. “Now globalists win, factories investments may reverse, and American workers lose again.”
“This betrayal must be reversed,” he added.
Brendan Rascius20 February 2026 16:01
Justices argued that IEEPA does not explicitly give president power to impose tariffs
A key part of the Supreme Court’s argument is that the language in IEEPA does not explicitly giving the president the power to impose tariffs.
The court argues that the words “regulate” and “importation” do not authorize Trump to slap tariffs on imports “from any country, of any produce, at any rate, for any amount of time.”
Brendan Rascius20 February 2026 15:57
Court’s ruling does not impact all of Trump’s tariffs
The court’s landmark ruling does not apply to all of the Republican president’s tariffs.
It leaves in place Trump’s sector-specific levies, including on steel, aluminum and copper.
The ruling instead upends the president’s “reciprocal” tariffs on dozens of nations as well as the a 25 percent rate he imposed on good from China, Mexico and Canada, NBC News reports.
Brendan Rascius20 February 2026 15:53
Kavanaugh raised concerns about economic impacts in his dissent
In his dissent, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised concerns about the economic impacts of striking down tariffs.
While the high court did not provide a clear path forward for refunds, he said it could impact the U.S. Treasury.
“In the meantime, however, the interim effects of the Court’s decision could be substantial,” the Trump-appointed justice wrote.
“The United States may be required to refund billions of dollars to importers who paid the IEEPA tariffs, even though some importers may have already passed on costs to consumers or others,” he added.
Brendan Rascius20 February 2026 15:48
‘A victory for the wallets of every American:’ Schumer praises justices’ ruling on tariffs
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the justices’ decision in a social media post on Friday.
“A victory for the wallets of every American consumer,” the New York Democrat wrote. “Trump’s illegal tariff tax just collapsed…”
Brendan Rascius20 February 2026 15:44
