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Supreme Court Seems Skeptical of Trump’s Tariffs

The Daily

2025/11/06
The Daily

The Daily

2025/11/06

Shownote

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether President Trump had the authority to impose the highest tariffs that the United States has seen in a century. Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times, explains why it seems that...

Highlights

The Supreme Court recently took up a high-stakes legal battle over the limits of presidential power, focusing on whether a president can unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs under existing emergency laws. At the heart of the case is a fundamental constitutional question: how much authority can Congress delegate to the executive branch, especially when economic policy blurs into national security.
07:22
The argument turned into a grammar seminar as justices parsed statutory language for 'tariff' authorization.
14:12
The major questions doctrine requires Congress to directly authorize actions of vast economic consequence.
21:48
Justice Gorsuch warns of slippery slope toward executive power accretion
25:21
Justices question whether Trump has overstepped executive power on tariffs.

Chapters

Can a President Impose Tariffs Without Congressional Approval?
00:00
Is 'Regulate Importation' a Legal Loophole for Tariffs?
07:22
When Does Executive Power Go Too Far?
14:12
National Security or Overreach? The Tariff Debate
21:48
Is the Court Ready to Rein In Presidential Trade Authority?
25:21

Transcript

Adam Liptak: Hi, my name is Sandra E. Garcia, and I'm a reporter at The New York Times. I write for The Styles Desk, where we try to understand our complicated world. By keeping up with culture. We want to take you to the forefront of cultural shifts and l...