Trump tariffs case: No ruling issued by US Supreme Court on Friday
The pending decision relates to Trump’s move to impose tariffs by enacting a 1977 national emergencies law after returning to office in January 2025.
The tariffs were challenged by affected businesses and 12 US states, mostly run by Democrats, after lower courts ruled that Trump had overstepped his authority. During arguments before the Supreme Court on November 5, both conservative and liberal justices appeared to cast doubt on the legality of the tariffs.
Trump imposed “reciprocal” tariffs on imports from a wide range of countries under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, saying the trade deficits constituted a national emergency. He used the same law to impose taxes on China, Canada and Mexico, arguing that trafficking in fentanyl and other illegal drugs is a national emergency.
Trump said the tariffs made the United States financially stronger and wrote on Jan. 2 that a decision against the tariffs would be a “terrible blow.”
Meanwhile, the fact that no decision was published on Friday and the high taxes on Indian goods entering the USA remain in effect for now, keeps trade uncertainty high. Washington imposed additional 25 percent tariffs on Indian exports in 2025 and later raised some of those duties to as much as 50 percent in August amid disagreements over New Delhi’s continued imports of oil from Russia.
India maintained that it continues to be in contact with the US within the framework of a broader trade understanding, even though negotiations are tense.
