US Supreme Court holds off on decision over Trump tariffs

Trump tariffs case still unresolved

The U.S. Supreme Court issued three decisions on Wednesday but did not rule on the closely watched case concerning the legality of President Donald Trump's global tariffs. The court also did not announce when it will issue a decision on the matter. Traditionally, the Supreme Court does not disclose in advance which rulings will be released on any given date.

The challenge to Trump’s tariffs represents a major test of presidential powers and the court’s willingness to scrutinise some of the Republican president’s broad assertions of authority since his return to office in January 2025. Observers note that the outcome could have far-reaching consequences for the global economy.

During arguments in the case on November 5, conservative and liberal justices appeared to express scepticism about the legality of the tariffs, which Trump imposed under a 1977 law intended for use only during national emergencies. The Trump administration is appealing lower court rulings that found he had overstepped his authority.

The US Supreme Court was expected to issue its opinions on tariffs imposed by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) on Wednesday.

The case carries significant implications for presidential authority over trade policy, the executive’s use of national emergency powers, and Congress’s role in regulating tariffs.

At the centre of the dispute is whether a President can unilaterally impose broad trade tariffs citing national security or emergency powers, or whether such actions overstep statutory and constitutional limits. The full nine-member bench of the Court was set to deliver the ruling.

Ahead of the anticipated decision, a prediction market suggested a high probability that the Supreme Court would strike down Trump’s tariffs.

Polymarket, a blockchain-based prediction platform, reported that on Tuesday traders had assigned a 73 percent chance that the Court would declare Trump’s tariffs illegal. Analysts noted that this reflected market sentiment among participants wagering on the outcome, rather than any insight into judicial reasoning.

In the days leading up to the ruling, President Donald Trump warned that the United States could face “trillions of dollars” in losses if the Court rules against his sweeping tariff programme, declaring that the country would be “SCREWED.”

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump explained that a decision against his administration could force the US to repay “many hundreds of billions of dollars” in tariffs already collected. He added that the country could also face additional “payback” claims from companies and countries that invested in factories, plants, and equipment to avoid the duties.

(With agency inputs)