Overview
- The Court ruled 6–3 that Trump lacked authority to impose tariffs as a form of taxation without clear congressional approval.
- Chief Justice John Roberts led the majority in rejecting the claim that tariffs differ from taxes for purposes of unilateral executive action.
- The decision applied the major questions doctrine, requiring explicit statutory authorization for sweeping economic measures.
- Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, asserting Congress may delegate virtually all of its powers to the president except in narrow circumstances.
- Ex-judge Thomas G. Moukawsher highlighted Thomas's stance as a threat to separation of powers and described the case as arising from Trump's reading of “regulate” to include tariff authority and his emergency declarations.