Trump has sharply criticized the U.S. Supreme Court after it struck down key tariffs from his administration, calling the decision “deeply disappointing” and saying he was “ashamed” of certain justices.
Supreme Court on tariffs
In a significant legal setback for the former president, the Court ruled Friday that his administration exceeded its authority by imposing sweeping tariffs under a law intended for genuine national emergencies. The decision invalidates most of the challenged trade measures and clarifies limits on presidential power in economic policy.
The Court determined that the tariffs on imported goods were not permitted under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). However, not all Trump-era tariffs are affected. Duties on steel and aluminum, enacted under separate legal provisions, will remain in force.
The ruling eliminates two significant categories of tariffs, providing notable relief to India’s more than $50 billion in exports to the United States. These include the country-specific “reciprocal” tariffspreviously set as high as 50% on Indian products (a 25% base rate plus a 25% penalty linked to Russian oil imports)—as well as a 25% tariff on certain imports that the administration said was meant to pressure countries to address fentanyl trafficking.
Earlier, a February 2026 U.S.–India interim agreement had already lowered reciprocal duties to 18% and introduced zero-duty exemptions for pharmaceuticals. The Supreme Court’s decision now speeds up broader relief and could potentially trigger refunds from the roughly $130 billion collected under IEEPA through mid-December.
Trump could still attempt to reimpose similar tariffs using different legal authorities. U.S. Customs and Border Protection data show IEEPA-based tariffs generated about $130 billion by mid-December, although Trump has cited figures as high as $3 trillion by including the value of trade deals negotiated during his administration.
India–U.S. interim trade agreement
The ruling comes shortly after Washington and New Delhi unveiled a framework for an interim trade pact designed to promote more balanced bilateral commerce.
Under the proposed arrangement, India agreed to reduce or eliminate tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods and a wide range of American agricultural and food products. These include dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruits, soybean oil, wine and spirits, among others.
In exchange, the United States plans to apply an 18% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods under Executive Order 14257 (as amended). Affected sectors include textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, plastics and rubber products, organic chemicals, home décor items, handicrafts, and certain machinery.
U.S. officials have also indicated that once the interim deal is fully finalized, reciprocal tariffs may be lifted on additional Indian exports listed in the Potential Tariff Adjustments for Aligned Partners annex to Executive Order 14346. These products include generic pharmaceuticals, gems and diamonds, and aircraft components.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
