U.S. Supreme Court shoots down President Trump’s tariffs — Consumer Technology Association hails 'victory for all Americans,' calls for swift refunds to retailers (update)

Source: Tom’s Hardware

Supreme Court Decision

The United States Supreme Court has struck down most of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. In a 6‑3 decision, the Court held that the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not give the President unilateral authority to impose import duties without prior congressional approval. The opinion is available in the official PDF: Supreme Court opinion (PDF).

Background

• The Trump administration argued that IEEPA’s language allowing the President to “regulate” the “importation or exportation” of property gave the President the power to impose tariffs at will.
• While previous presidents have used IEEPA to impose sanctions and embargoes, this was the first attempt to apply the statute to tariffs on imports.
• The White House’s position relied on the interpretation that the term “regulate” encompassed the right to levy duties.

Court’s Reasoning

Chief Justice John G. Roberts wrote:

“The President asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration, and scope. In light of the breadth, history, and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorization to exercise it. IEEPA’s grant of authority to ‘regulate…importation’ falls short. IEEPA contains no reference to tariffs or duties. The Government points to no statute in which Congress used the word ‘regulate’ to authorize taxation.”

The Court concluded that IEEPA does not contain language authorizing tariffs or duties, and therefore the President lacks the authority to impose them without explicit congressional approval.

Implications

• The ruling suspends the broad tariffs that were imposed under IEEPA.
• Immediate price reductions are not expected; a period of uncertainty may follow as the market and policymakers determine next steps.
• The decision may prompt the administration to seek congressional action if it wishes to pursue similar trade measures in the future.

Updated February 20, 2026 1:28 p.m. ET with comments about the PC supply chain.