‘Finally, SCOTUS Does Its Job’: High Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs
But don’t expect the Supreme Court to actually get better now, one analyst warns
The Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump’s ability to levy his signature tariffs Friday, in a ruling widely praised for upholding the separation of powers and the sole ability of Congress to impose taxes.
Despite the 6-3 decision that cut across ideological lines, don’t look at this decision as some kind of turning point for a high court that has enabled Trump since he returned to office last year, according to one prominent legal expert.
The justices ruled that Trump clearly lacked authority to impose the sweeping tariffs on foreign imports that has been a defining feature of his presidency.
The justices ruled across ideological spectrum, with Chief Justice John Roberts, and justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch siding with the court’s three liberals in the majority.
Right-wing justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, and Clarence Thomas dissented in the minority.
A number of Democratic lawmakers praised the court’s decision, including Rep Bill Foster, of Illinois, who posted: “Finally, SCOTUS does its job. Today is the real ‘Liberation Day’!”
It was a reference to Trump calling the day last year that he began his campaign of widespread tariffs, “Liberation Day.”
Economist David Rothschild explained why Roberts ruled against Trump’s tariffs after spending so long leading the high court in enabling so much of the president’s agenda.
“Roberts crowned Trump king to protect intergenerational wealth & power of white men, not to undermine the owners of capital with his stupid tariffs,” he posted.
While many will see the decision against Trump’s tariff policies as a win, University of California law professor and prominent legal commentator Rick Hasen cautioned against reading too much into it.
“Don’t look at the Court’s correct ruling on tariffs and what I anticipate to be a correct striking down of the birthright citizenship executive order as evidence of a moderate Supreme Court. The Justice [sic] have done, and continue to do, lots of mischief, including accreting more power for themselves,” he posted.
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