The U.S. Supreme Court once more declined to issue a ruling on President Donald Trump's tariffs on Tuesday, ensuring that the legal challenge to his central economic policy will remain unresolved for at least another month.
The court is set to commence a four-week recess, and based on its standard procedures for announcing opinions, the next possible date for a decision on the tariffs is February 20.
Oral arguments held on November 5 indicated that a majority of the justices were doubtful that Trump possessed the authority to implement the tariffs under a 1977 statute granting the president special emergency powers. The court's decision to expedite the case had fueled expectations among opponents for a swift ruling against the President.
A ruling unfavorable to Trump on the tariffs would represent his most significant legal setback since his return to the White House. The case centers on Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs enacted on April 2, which imposed levies of 10% to 50% on the majority of imports, in addition to duties on Canada, Mexico, and China, purportedly to combat fentanyl trafficking.
An adverse decision could also pave the way for refunds exceeding $130 billion and weaken his threat to impose further tariffs on European nations resisting his bid to acquire Greenland. Trump has not specified what legal authority he would invoke to enforce those additional duties.
The Supreme Court's customary procedure is to deliver opinions in argued cases from the bench. Although the justices are scheduled to hear arguments on Wednesday regarding Trump's attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, no opinion releases are planned. Following Wednesday, the next formal session for the justices is not scheduled until February 20.