US Business Groups and Lawmakers Welcome Supreme Court Ruling Against Trump Tariffs
Decision Seen as Reaffirmation of Congressional Authority, Calls Grow for Refunds
New York: American business groups, advocacy organizations, and lawmakers have welcomed the recent ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States striking down former President Donald Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs.
In a 6–3 decision, the Court held that the executive branch had misused its authority by invoking emergency powers to levy import taxes on most trading partners. It declared several tariffs imposed last year unlawful, reaffirming that the power to impose tariffs rests with Congress.
Advocacy and business groups described the verdict as a strong reaffirmation of congressional authority and a relief for businesses struggling under increased costs.
Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the ruling was good news for both businesses and consumers. He noted that companies had faced significant cost increases and supply-chain disruptions due to the tariffs.
Bradley urged the government to move swiftly to refund duties collected unlawfully and to reset the overall tariff policy in order to boost economic growth and lower costs for American families.
A small-business advocacy group, “We Pay the Tariffs,” also demanded full, swift, and automatic refunds, stating that many of its members had paid billions of dollars in duties that should never have been imposed.
According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, Republican US Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky also welcomed the decision. In a statement, McConnell said, “The hollow benefits of a large trade war with America’s friends were clear long before today’s ruling. Americans already know that when Washington creates artificial barriers, it becomes more expensive to make and buy at home.”
Edward Fishman, a former State Department and Treasury official now associated with the Council on Foreign Relations, said the ruling could limit the use of tariffs as a rapid-response geoeconomic tool. However, he added that tariffs could still be employed in trade negotiations through other legal mechanisms.
Some business groups cautioned that uncertainty remains and expressed concern that tariffs could be reimposed under alternative legal authorities.
