The Supreme Court has ruled 6-3 that President Trump's sweeping tariffs imposed in April 2025 were illegal, dealing a major blow to his trade policies. The court found that Trump exceeded his authority by imposing the tariffs without congressional approval, despite his claims that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) gave him unilateral power.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, stating that when Congress grants tariff authority, it does so clearly and with careful constraints. The tariffs, dubbed "Liberation Day" tariffs, were initially ridiculed for their mathematical basis and later escalated to allegedly punish countries and even individuals like Tim Cook. Trump's administration collected billions from importers, with Apple alone paying approximately $2 billion in tariff fees.

The ruling doesn't address how refunds will be handled, with Justice Kavanaugh noting the process is likely to be a "mess." While the decision validates that Trump acted illegally, it leaves unresolved questions about whether companies like Apple will recover their tariff payments and how smaller businesses that went under due to the tariffs will be compensated.