US Supreme Court holds off on expected ruling on Trump's global tariffs

The United States Supreme Court will not issue any opinion on Friday on litigation testing the legality of President Donald Trump’s global tariffs. Earlier, it was expected that the court would issue at least one ruling, as several major cases remain pending.

 

The Trump administration expects the Supreme Court to rule in its favour on global tariffs but is still exploring what could be done if the court rules against it, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said.

 

“Our expectation is that we’re going to win, and if we don’t win, then we know that we’ve got other tools that we could use that get us to the same place,” Hassett told CNBC in an interview earlier. He said the administration held a call on Thursday night with all the principals to discuss possible next steps. 

The legal fight over Trump’s tariffs is an important test of presidential power and of how willing the courts are to limit the authority claimed by the Republican president since his return to office in January 2025. The decision could also have serious effects on the global economy.

 

During court arguments on November 5, both conservative and liberal judges questioned whether the tariffs were lawful. Trump used a 1977 law designed for national emergencies to justify the tariffs. His administration is now challenging lower court decisions that said he went beyond his legal authority.