Supreme Court Justices Skeptical of Validity of Trump’s Tariffs

A divided Supreme Court has appeared skeptical of President Trump’s authority to unilaterally impose tariffs on nearly every country under a federal emergency powers law, as the justices tested a centerpiece of his economic agenda and the limits of presidential power, Melissa Quinn reported for CBS News.

Most economists agree that American consumers are bearing the brunt of the tariffs through higher prices. (Photo: Daniel Torok, The White House) 

The dispute over Trump’s sweeping tariffs marks the first time the Court has weighed the legal merits of one of the president’s signature second-term policies.

Arguments spanned nearly three hours, with the justices asking probing questions of lawyers representing both the Trump administration and a group of small businesses challenging the legality of the tariffs.

Several justices appeared uncomfortable with the breadth of power Trump is asserting without explicit authorization from Congress to levy broad tariffs on nearly every U.S. trading partner.

As of September, Trump’s tariffs — including some that are not affected by this case — had raised $195 billion in revenue from foreign imports, two and a half times the amount collected during the same period in 2024.

That additional tax money has come at a significant cost, however.

Most economists agree that American consumers are bearing the brunt of the tariffs through higher prices. The policy has significantly increased inflation and raised expenses for the average U.S. household by as much as $1,800, according to experts.

The tariffs could cost global businesses a combined $1.2 trillion over the course of this year, according to research firm S&P Global, Yahoo Finance’s Mike Bebernes reported.