BREAKING NEWS: Supreme Court strikes down Trump's unlawful tariffs

News and views for Floridians and other thoughtful Americans

Well, maybe Donald Trump isn’t a king after all.

The Supreme Court just handed him a major defeat, rejecting his assertion that he can use so-called emergency powers to impose tariffs—that is taxes—on goods coming into this country.

Trump’s tariffs have increased the cost of goods in the U.S. significantly, more than $133 billion so far, according to some estimates.

In a 6-3 decision, the high court ruled the president overstepped his authority by unilaterally imposing these fees, ultimately paid for by American consumers and driving up the cost of living.

As the Associated Press reports:

The Constitution gives Congress the power to levy tariffs. But the Trump administration argued that a 1977 law allowing the president to regulate importation during emergencies also allows him to set tariffs. Other presidents have used the law dozens of times, often to impose sanctions, but Trump was the first president to invoke it for import taxes.

Trump set what he called “reciprocal” tariffs on most countries in April 2025 to address trade deficits that he declared a national emergency. Those came after he imposed duties on Canada, China and Mexico, ostensibly to address a drug trafficking emergency.

A series of lawsuits followed, including a case from a dozen largely Democratic-leaning states and others from small businesses selling everything from plumbing supplies to educational toys to women’s cycling apparel.

The challengers argued the emergency powers law doesn’t even mention tariffs and Trump’s use of it fails several legal tests, including one that doomed then-President Joe Biden’s $500 billion student loan forgiveness program.

For more on this story, please read the full AP Report here:

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J.C. Bruce is the founder of Tropic Press, a Florida online news service dedicated to sharing news and commentary relevant to Florida readers, whether it originates in the Sunshine State or elsewhere. Bruce is an award-winning former newspaper editor, journalist and author living in Florida, his native state.

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