Trump’s Options If Supreme Court Says His Tariffs Are Illegal

The future of much of President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign rests in the hands of the US Supreme Court, which will decide whether he can use an emergency law that had previously never been wielded to impose import taxes.

Lower courts have already ruled that Trump exceeded his authority by invoking the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to justify his sweeping “reciprocal” duties targeting America’s trading partners, as well as separate levies aimed at China, Canada and Mexico. The rulings were in separate cases — onecovering challenges by the Democratic attorneys general from 12 states and ...