Trump Tariffs Live Updates: Trump Says He Has ‘Backup Plan’ After US Supreme Court Blocks Tariffs
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Last Updated:February 20, 2026, 21:26 IST
The Supreme Court's decision affirms earlier findings by lower courts that tariffs Trump imposed under IEEPA were illegal.
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Trump Tariffs Live Updates: In a big blow to Donald Trump, the US Supreme Court on Friday ruled against his global tariffs, saying that they are “illegal” and the President exceeded his authority in imposing a swath of tariffs that shook down the world.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion and the court agreed 6-3 that the tariffs exceeded the law.
“The president asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration, and scope,” Roberts wrote for the court. “In light of the breadth, history, and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorization to exercise it.”
While Trump has long used tariffs as a lever for pressure and negotiations, he made unprecedented use of emergency economic powers upon returning to the presidency last year to slap new duties on virtually all US trading partners.
These included “reciprocal” tariffs over trade practices that Washington deemed unfair, alongside separate sets of duties targeting major partners Mexico, Canada and China over illicit drug flows and immigration.
The court on Friday noted that “had Congress intended to convey the distinct and extraordinary power to impose tariffs” with IEEPA, “it would have done so expressly, as it consistently has in other tariff statutes.”
The ruling does not impact sector-specific duties that Trump has separately imposed on imports of steel, aluminum and various other goods. Formal probes which could ultimately lead to more such sectoral tariffs remain in the works.
The Supreme Court’s decision affirms earlier findings by lower courts that tariffs Trump imposed under IEEPA were illegal.
A lower trade court had ruled in May that Trump overstepped his authority with across-the-board levies and blocked most of them from taking effect, but that outcome had been put on hold as the government sought an appeal.
Feb 20, 2026 21:26 IST
UK Confident of Retaining ‘Privileged’ US Trade Ties After Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
The UK government has expressed confidence that its “privileged trading position” with the United States will remain intact, even as Washington assesses the implications of a recent Supreme Court ruling on tariffs.
Responding to the development, a UK government spokesperson said that under any scenario, Britain expects its special trade relationship with the US to continue.
“We expect our privileged trading position with the US to continue,” the spokesperson said, adding that London will engage closely with the US administration to understand how the ruling could affect tariff arrangements.
Feb 20, 2026 21:14 IST
Trump Tariffs Verdict Live: EU Reviewing US Supreme Court Decision On Trump Tariffs
The European Union on Friday said it is examining the recent US Supreme Court ruling which found that President Donald Trump went beyond his authority in imposing wide-ranging tariffs that disrupted global trade.
“We take note of the ruling… and are analysing it carefully,” EU trade spokesman Olof Gill said.
He added that the EU is in communication with US officials to understand the next steps following the judgment. “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,” Gill said.
Emphasising the broader impact, he noted that “Businesses on both sides of the Atlantic depend on stability and predictability in the trading relationship”.
Feb 20, 2026 21:09 IST
Trump Tariffs Verdict Live: Trump Says He Has ‘Backup Plan’ After Court Blocks Tariffs
After the US Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the tariffs were not authorised under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), US President Donald Trump responded by saying he has a “backup plan” for tariffs, according to CNN.
The remark came shortly after the court’s decision declared the trade measures unlawful under the emergency powers law.
Feb 20, 2026 21:06 IST
Trump Tariffs Verdict Live: Chief Justice Says US ‘Not At War With Every Nation’
“The United States, after all, is not at war with every nation in the world,” the US Chief Justice said while addressing the scope of executive powers in the case.
The remark came as the court examined the extent of authority claimed by the administration in imposing broad trade measures.
Feb 20, 2026 21:04 IST
Dissenting Judge Flags Treasury Impact Of Potential Tariff Refunds
- A dissenting judge said the ruling is unlikely to significantly limit presidential tariff powers in the future.
- However, the decision could lead to serious practical consequences, including large-scale refunds.
- Billions of dollars collected from importers may have to be returned.
- Such refunds could have a significant financial impact on the US Treasury.
- The court did not clarify whether the government must repay the money or how the process should be carried out.
- During oral arguments, it was acknowledged that handling refunds could become a “mess”.
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Feb 20, 2026 21:01 IST
Wall Street Climbs To Session Highs; Treasury Yields Move Up After Court's Decision
US markets moved higher after the Supreme Court ruled against former President Donald Trump’s tariffs, giving investors a boost during the trading session.
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 both climbed to their highest levels of the day shortly after the judgment was announced. Traders reacted positively to the decision, viewing it as a development that could ease trade-related uncertainty.
At the same time, US Treasury yields edged up as the news spread across financial markets, reflecting shifting expectations among investors.
Feb 20, 2026 20:59 IST
Trump Tariffs Verdict Live: Chief Justice Roberts Leads Majority As SC Rejects Use Of Emergency Law For Tariffs
The opinion of the court was written by Chief Justice John Roberts. He was joined by three liberal members of the bench as well as two conservative justices, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, forming the 6–3 majority.
In his written judgment, Roberts said the president had claimed sweeping authority to impose tariffs without limits on their scale, duration or reach. However, he noted that the Trump administration had failed to identify any law in which Congress clearly stated that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) could be used to introduce tariffs.
Roberts concluded that the emergency powers law did not grant the president the authority to impose such trade measures.
Justices Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh and Samuel Alito disagreed with the majority and issued dissenting opinions.
Feb 20, 2026 20:58 IST
Trump Tariffs Verdict Live: US Supreme Court Rules Trump Exceeded Authority In Imposing Tariffs
In a major ruling on Friday, the Supreme Court of the United States held that former President Donald Trump acted beyond his legal powers when he imposed wide-ranging tariffs on multiple countries without clear approval from Congress.
The court delivered its decision by a 6–3 majority, marking a significant blow to Trump’s trade policy approach. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts stated that the president claimed “extraordinary power” to impose tariffs without limits on amount, duration or scope.
“The president asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration, and scope,” Roberts wrote.
He further added, “In light of the breadth, history, and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorisation to exercise it.”
Feb 20, 2026 20:58 IST
Trump Tariffs Verdict Live: US Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs
The US Supreme Court has invalidated tariffs introduced by former President Donald Trump, holding that the measures were not lawfully authorised.
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published :February 20, 2026, 20:55 ISTNews world Trump Tariffs Live Updates: Trump Says He Has ‘Backup Plan’ After US Supreme Court Blocks Tariffs
