Story perspectives

Supreme Court Blocks Trump’s IEEPA Tariffs, Citing Congress

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 6:05 PM UTC · How we work

Center

Major questions doctrine

U.S. President Donald Trump imposed IEEPA-based tariffs on Canada and other nations in early 2025.
The Supreme Court ruled that IEEPA cannot authorize tariffs, invoking the major questions doctrine to affirm congressional tariff power.
Politico poll showed 83% Canadians and 56% Americans blamed Trump, 26% of Americans approving tariffs.
Canadian Industry Minister Melanie Joly said the tariffs have U.S. support and create lasting barriers.

Left

Public Tariff Backlash

U.S. President Donald Trump imposed IEEPA-based tariffs on Canada and other nations in early 2025.
Polling shows a sharp public backlash, with most Americans and Canadians opposing the tariffs and households facing steep cost increases.
Michigan households face a $460 monthly tariff increase, the nation’s third-largest rise.
Liberty Justice Center sued in the Court of International Trade, claiming tariffs exceed Section 301 authority.

Blindspot

The Supreme Court ruled that IEEPA cannot authorize tariffs, and Trump subsequently imposed a 10% tariff regime under Section 122 that largely exempted Canadian imports.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Center-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Left-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

Since the 1982 soft-wood lumber dispute—where the U.S. claims Canadian stumpage fees act as subsidies—the two nations have cycled through agreements, the 2006 SLA and its 2015 expiry. On February 1 2025 President Donald Trump invoked IEEPA, imposing a 25 % tariff on most Canadian imports; the U.S. Supreme Court later struck down the emergency tariffs, echoing earlier judicial limits on trade actions.

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Major questions doctrine

U.S. President Donald Trump imposed IEEPA-based tariffs on Canada and other nations in early 2025.
The Supreme Court ruled that IEEPA cannot authorize tariffs, invoking the major questions doctrine to affirm congressional tariff power.
Politico poll showed 83% Canadians and 56% Americans blamed Trump, 26% of Americans approving tariffs.
Canadian Industry Minister Melanie Joly said the tariffs have U.S. support and create lasting barriers.

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