Adedokun Waliyu 
The Supreme Court of the United States has struck down sweeping global tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.
In a 6–3 decision delivered on Friday, the court affirmed a lower court’s finding that Trump’s reliance on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to introduce the tariffs was unlawful. The justices ruled that the president overstepped his authority by invoking a law designed for national emergencies to impose broad import taxes without congressional approval.
The ruling marks a significant constitutional rebuke and carries major implications for US trade policy and the global economy.
The judgment was authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, who emphasised the constitutional limits of executive power in matters of taxation. Citing prior precedent, Roberts wrote that the president must point to clear congressional authorisation to justify such an extraordinary assertion of power to impose tariffs.
Trump had made tariffs a central feature of both his economic strategy and foreign policy posture, particularly during his second term. The measures formed the backbone of a renewed global trade confrontation, unsettling financial markets, straining relations with key trading partners, and contributing to broader economic uncertainty worldwide.
