February 20, 2026 | 11:17 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The US Supreme Court on Friday struck down sweeping tariffs enacted by US President Donald Trump under a law used for national emergencies.
The conservative-majority court said the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) "does not authorize the president to impose tariffs."
The court's decision upholds a lower court ruling from May that found Trump had overstepped his authority by unilaterally declaring punitive and "reciprocal" tariffs. The government had appealed the lower court ruling.
Trump has routinely levied or threatened to levy such penalties on trading partners for a host of reasons ranging from vague claims of unfair treatment to attempting to influence foreign courts to help his political allies abroad.
The US Constitution gives Congress the sole power to levy tariffs.
However, the Trump administration has insisted that the 1977 IEEPA law, which allows the president to regulate imports during emergencies, also allows him to set tariffs.
Though other presidents have made ample use of the law, often to impose sanctions, Trump is the first president to use it for import taxes.
On Friday, the court found that "had Congress intended to convey the distinct and extraordinary power to impose tariffs" with IEEPA, "it would have done so expressly, as it consistently has in other tariff statutes."
First time SCOTUS has moved to limit Trump's executive power
Friday's decision, which saw conservative justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh dissenting, marked the first time that the Supreme Court has taken steps to rein in Trump's executive authority.
Trump had been outspoken about the case before Friday, warning that striking down his ability to levy tariffs would be an economic body blow.
Despite claims by Trump and his administration that the tariffs are bringing in billions in revenue, the policies remain unpopular with US taxpayers and businesses.
Read: Indonesia's Zero-Tariff Textile Exports to the US Explained
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