• The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Trump’s sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act were illegal, with Chief Justice Roberts writing that the law “does not authorize the President to impose tariffs”
• Fox News anchor Shannon Bream reported that Republican lawmakers are “quietly breathing a sigh of relief” while Trump called the decision “a disgrace” and pledged a backup plan
• The ruling raises immediate questions about $130 billion in collected tariff revenue and potential refunds to importers, with Trump-appointed Justices Gorsuch and Barrett joining the majority

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — The Supreme Court tariffs ruling landed Friday like a fault line through the Republican Party. The 6-3 decision declaring President Donald Trump‘s emergency tariffs illegal produced an unusual political spectacle: the president calling the court’s ruling “a disgrace” while members of his own party quietly celebrated behind closed doors.

Fox News anchor Shannon Bream, the network’s chief legal correspondent, captured the split in real time. Reporting from Washington, Bream said Republican lawmakers she had spoken with were relieved the court had done what Congress could not.

“We all know members we’ve talked to who are silently, quietly breathing a sigh of relief.” — Shannon Bream, Fox News

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Bream also highlighted the irony now confronting Democrats who had spent months calling the court corrupt and demanding its restructuring.

“Democrats have told us that this Court is corrupt and in the pocket of Trump and can’t be trusted and needs to be term-limited and expanded. Today, we are getting all of these pressers, the press releases, the statements in Washington, of people saying, Democrats saying, ‘The Court got this right.'”— Shannon Bream, Fox News

What the Court Actually Decided

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act — the 1977 law Trump used to justify sweeping global tariffs — simply does not grant the president authority to levy import taxes.

“The President asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration, and scope. In light of the breadth, history, and constitutional context of that asserted authority, he must identify clear congressional authorization to exercise it. He cannot.”— Chief Justice John Roberts, majority opinion

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The decision was notable for its cross-ideological alignment. Trump-appointed Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett joined Roberts and the court’s three liberal justices. Only Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh dissented.

Gorsuch’s concurrence carried a particularly pointed warning about executive overreach that extended beyond tariffs alone.

“Most major decisions affecting the rights and responsibilities of the American people are funnelled through the legislative process for a reason. Through that process, the nation can tap the combined wisdom of the people’s elected representatives, not just that of one faction or man.”— Justice Neil Gorsuch, concurring opinion

Gorsuch, a Trump appointee, added that “the day will come when those disappointed by today’s result will appreciate the legislative process for the bulwark of liberty it is.”

Trump Reacts, GOP Fractures

Trump received news of the ruling via a note during a White House breakfast with governors Friday morning. After reading it, he declared it “a disgrace” and said he has “to do something about these courts” before ending the meeting, according to sources familiar with his reaction. The administration has signaled it will attempt to reimpose tariffs using alternative legal authorities, though those statutes come with more restrictions — including caps on tariff rates and mandatory fact-finding processes.

The Republican response fractured along predictable lines. House Speaker Mike Johnson praised Trump’s tariff strategy while acknowledging the ruling, saying Congress and the administration “will determine the best path forward in the coming weeks.”

But other Republicans were more direct. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), who previously voted against Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods, embraced the decision.

“The Constitution’s checks and balances still work. Article One gives tariff authority to Congress. This was a common-sense and straightforward ruling by the Supreme Court.”— Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)

Former Vice President Mike Pence went further, framing the ruling as vindication for constitutional free-trade principles.

“American families and American businesses pay American tariffs — not foreign countries. With this decision, American families and businesses can breathe a sigh of relief.”— Former Vice President Mike Pence

Democrats Celebrate — But Face Their Own Contradiction

Democrats seized on the ruling with enthusiasm that created its own awkward optics, as Bream noted. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it a “victory for the wallets of every American consumer.”

“Trump’s illegal tariff tax just collapsed — he tried to govern by decree and stuck families with the bill. Enough chaos. End the trade war.”— Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries declared it “another crushing defeat for the wannabe King.”

The contradiction Bream identified is real: Democrats who spent the past year demanding court expansion and term limits are now praising the same institution they called illegitimate. Whether that shifts the court-packing debate remains an open question — though political memory tends to be short, and the court’s next controversial ruling could reignite those calls overnight.

The $130 Billion Problem

Beyond the political theater, the ruling creates an immediate financial and logistical crisis. As of December, the government had collected more than $130 billion in tariff revenue from over 301,000 importers under IEEPA authority. The Penn-Wharton Budget Model estimates potential refunds could total $175 billion.

Kavanaugh flagged the problem in his dissent.

“The United States may be required to refund billions of dollars to importers who paid the IEEPA tariffs, even though some importers may have already passed on costs to consumers or others.”— Justice Brett Kavanaugh, dissenting opinion

The court’s majority said nothing about how refunds should work — leaving that to lower courts and Congress. Major companies including Costco have already filed lawsuits seeking repayment, and shipping company DHL announced it would help customers pursue refund claims.

Small business owners expressed relief. One stationery shop owner told NBC News the ruling was “an incredible win for the American people,” noting she had been absorbing tariff costs or passing them to customers for months. Farmer John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association, called it “a relief from a man-made crisis.”

“The president made the crisis.”— John Boyd, National Black Farmers Association

What Doesn’t Change

The ruling does not eliminate all of Trump’s tariffs — only those imposed under IEEPA. Tariffs on steel, aluminum, copper and certain other goods imposed under different trade statutes remain in effect. The administration has signaled it will lean on Section 301 and Section 232 authorities to rebuild its tariff wall, though those laws impose stricter requirements including investigation periods and rate caps that would make replicating IEEPA-level duties difficult.

Stocks rose modestly after the ruling, with the S&P 500 gaining about 0.6%. The Yale Budget Lab estimated the average effective U.S. tariff rate dropped from roughly 17% to about 9% following the decision.

The ruling arrives four days before Trump’s State of the Union address, where he was expected to tout his trade agenda as a signature achievement.

The Supreme Court just told both parties something they didn’t want to hear: the Constitution means what it says about congressional taxing authority. But will Republicans who are “quietly breathing a sigh of relief” find the backbone to openly support trade policies they actually believe in — or will the quiet part stay quiet?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from NPR’s coverage of the Supreme Court ruling, CNN’s live updates on reactions and market impact, CNBC’s reporting on the ruling and refund implications, CBS News’ analysis of the decision, NBC News’ live updates on political reactions, Mediaite’s reporting on Shannon Bream’s GOP analysis, Axios’ coverage of the ruling’s scope, TIME’s reporting on the decision and its implications, Newsweek’s live updates on conservative reactions, Yahoo Finance’s tariff ruling coverage, and NPR’s explainer on tariff economics.

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