The judges of the US Supreme Court, distrustful of the legality of the trade tariffs imposed by Donald Trump
The justices of the Supreme Court of the United States expressed their skepticism on Wednesday about the legality of the extensive trade tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, which target most of the world's countries.
Donald Trump, President of the USA
Both conservative and liberal justices asked Attorney General D. John Sauer, who defended the Trump administration's handling of the tariffs, accusing them of infringing on Congress's tax prerogatives.
Lower federal courts have previously ruled that Trump did not have the legal authority to impose the tariffs.”mutual” and those on fentanyl-containing products from Canada, China and Mexico, based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Sauer argued that those fees “they are commercial regulations, not revenue-generating taxes.”
The reply came immediately from Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who stated:You say tariffs are not taxes, but that's exactly what they are. They generate money from the pockets of American citizens.”
Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch raised the issue of excessive concentration of power in the hands of the president, asking: “What happens when the president simply rejects a law that Congress is trying to take back? Isn't that an irreversible move toward a steady accumulation of power in the executive branch?”
Other conservative justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh and Samuel Alito, questioned the legality of the White House's actions.
The tariffs set by Trump start at 10% for most countries and can reach up to 50% for products from India and Brazil. If maintained, they would add about $3 trillion to the U.S. budget by 2035, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
The US Treasury warns, however, that if the measures are declared illegal, the government could be forced to repay more than $750 billion to affected companies.
Trump insists the tariffs are “vital to the economic security of the United States” and claims that they contributed to maintaining international respect and to the growth of the stock market.
The Supreme Court has not announced the date on which it will pronounce its decision in this case, considered a major legal test for the Trump administration.
