The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a significant case challenging former President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported goods, with the justices set to weigh the legality of the policy under existing trade laws. The case, which centers on the constitutionality of Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs imposed in 2018, pits a coalition of businesses affected by the tariffs against the federal government.
Neal Katyal, a veteran attorney with over 50 cases before the Supreme Court, will represent the group of businesses arguing that the tariffs violate the principle of equal treatment under U.S. trade law. The case is expected to examine whether the tariffs, which were imposed as a means of pressuring trading partners to renegotiate trade deals, are lawful under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.
Benjamin Gutman, Oregon’s solicitor general, will make his first appearance at the Supreme Court as part of a coalition of states challenging the policy. The states argue that the tariffs harm their economies by increasing costs for businesses and consumers while failing to achieve the stated goal of protecting domestic industries. The case is likely to have wide-ranging implications for trade policy in the U.S., as it could determine the extent of presidential power to impose tariffs without congressional approval.
Industry groups and legal experts are closely following the case as a potential precedent that could shape future trade disputes. The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to provide clarity on the limits of executive power in matters of international trade, particularly in the context of ongoing trade tensions with countries such as China and the European Union.