Democrats claim victory for Americans as court rules Trump tariffs illegal

The US Supreme Court rejected the use of a national emergency law to justify broad tariffs on imported goods

Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill welcomed the United States Supreme Court decision that struck down sweeping tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump under emergency powers, as they called the ruling a legal and economic reprieve for households and businesses.

 

The court on Friday (local time) rejected the use of a national emergency law to justify broad tariffs on imported goods. The decision carried implications for domestic policy and global trade, as the measures had served as a central element of Trump’s economic and foreign policy approach.

 

Representative Brendan Boyle, a Democrat from Pennsylvania who led his party on the House budget panel, said the tariffs had harmed the economy and households.

 

 

“Trump’s tariffs weakened our economy, hurt American workers, and made it harder for families to make ends meet,” Boyle said in a post on X. He added that Trump would seek other avenues to reintroduce similar measures, saying he remained intent on continuing what Boyle described as “economic sabotage”.

 

In a separate post, Boyle said: “As I have been saying for over a year, Donald Trump did not have the power to impose a nationwide sales tax. This is a huge victory for working Americans being crushed by Trump’s tariff taxes.”

 

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, also welcomed the ruling and called for consumers to be compensated for costs already incurred because of the tariffs.

 

“No Supreme Court decision can undo the massive damage that the Trump tariffs did to small businesses, to American supply chains, and especially to American families forced to pay higher prices on everything from groceries to housing,” Warren said.  She added that the court had struck down the tariffs but that no legal mechanism existed for consumers and many small businesses to recover money already paid.

  

Brooklyn Congressman, Hakeem Jeffries, said, "The Supreme Court decision striking down the harmful Trump Tariffs is a big victory for the American people."

 

"And another crushing defeat for the wannabe King," Jeffries said in a post on X. 

 

New York’s Senator and the Senate Democratic Leader, Chuck Schumer, said, "A victory for the wallets of every American consumer. Trump’s illegal tariff tax just collapsed—He tried to govern by decree and stuck families with the bill." 

 

"Enough chaos. End the trade war," Schumer said in a post he shared on X.

Global reactions

International responses followed the ruling, with governments and trade bodies assessing its implications.

 

The European Union said it had taken note of the decision and sought clarity on the next steps. “We take note of the ruling by the US Supreme Court and are analysing it carefully,” Olof Gill, a spokesperson for the European Commission, said in a statement. “We remain in close contact with the US administration as we seek clarity on the steps they intend to take in response to this ruling.”

  

The British government said it expected favourable trade conditions with the United States to continue. A government spokesperson said: “The UK enjoys the lowest reciprocal tariffs globally, and under any scenario we expect our privileged trading position with the US to continue. We will work with the US administration to understand how the ruling will affect tariffs for the UK and the rest of the world.” 

The British Chambers of Commerce said the decision did little to resolve uncertainty for businesses. William Bain, head of trade policy at the organisation, said the ruling raised questions over whether British exporters could receive any rebate depending on trading terms, the New York Times reported.  He added that outstanding trade issues, including tariffs on steel and aluminium, remained outside the scope of the emergency tariffs. “For the UK, the priority remains bringing tariffs down wherever possible,” Bain said.

 

The Supreme Court decision marked a major legal setback for the tariff framework introduced under emergency powers and set limits on the use of such authority for broad trade measures. Democrats said the ruling reaffirmed congressional oversight in trade policy and provided relief to consumers and businesses affected by the tariffs.