The US Supreme Court issued three decisions on Wednesday, January 14; however, it did not announce a decision on the legality of President Donald Trump’s global tariffs, according to a Reuters report.
The court did not specify the next date for issuing the decision. It did not announce in advance which decisions would be published on a particular day.
The challenge to Trump’s tariffs tests both the president’s powers and the court’s willingness to limit some of the Republican president’s sweeping claims to authority from when he returns to office in January 2025. The outcome is also expected to affect the global economy.
Doubts raised at the November 5 hearing
Arguments in the case on Nov. 5 by conservative and liberal justices appear to cast doubt on the legality of the tariffs Trump imposed under a 1977 law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a law designed for domestic emergencies.
The tariffs, imposed by Trump through a national emergency declaration due to ongoing trade deficits, apply to imports from nearly all of America’s trading partners. In addition, he used the same law to impose tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico, citing concerns about fentanyl trafficking and the influx of illegal drugs.
In arguments on Nov. 5, the justices expressed doubts about whether the law can be applied to broad trade policy and raised questions about the legality of the tariffs. Lower courts have already ruled that the administration overstepped its authority, prompting an appeal to the Supreme Court.
The US president has consistently defended the tariffs, saying they have boosted the US economy and warning that a ruling overturning them would deal a “terrible blow” to the country.
With no decision announced on Wednesday, legal uncertainty over the tariffs continues as businesses, investors and international trading partners await clarity on whether the broad trade measures will be maintained or repealed.
