The United States Supreme Court has issued a landmark ruling undermining the broad tariff powers of the Donald Trump administration. This decision triggered an immediate reaction in financial markets and a flood of claims from U.S. and international corporations demanding refunds of collected fees. While Democrats are demanding compensation for citizens, governments in Berlin and Delhi see the ruling as a chance to renegotiate trade terms, and experts warn of deepening chaos in the global economy.

Ruling Undermining Tariffs

The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration exceeded its authority in imposing part of the trade tariffs.

Avalanche of Business Claims

Companies such as BASF, FedEx, and Goodyear are preparing lawsuits to recover billions of dollars in tariffs.

Political Pressure from Democrats

The opposition is demanding a $1,700 refund for every citizen as compensation for the high cost of living.

Foreign Reaction

Germany and India hope for better bargaining chips in trade negotiations with the U.S. after Trump's weakening.

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to deem part of the tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration illegal has caused tectonic shifts in world trade. This ruling significantly limits the previous freedom of the White House to use protectionist instruments under the pretext of national security. As a result, giants like FedEx, Costco, and BASF have already begun legal analyses aimed at recovering billions of dollars paid into the U.S. treasury. FedEx representatives even declared that potential refunds could be passed directly to customers, increasing pressure on the federal administration. The American tariff system is based on acts from 1962 and 1974, which give the president unprecedented powers in situations of security threat. Historically, courts have rarely interfered with these prerogatives, respecting the autonomy of the executive branch in matters of foreign policy. The political reaction to the ruling is extremely polarized. Politicians from the Democratic Party immediately seized the situation, demanding that the government refund an average of $1,700 per American household as compensation for higher living costs caused by the trade war. Meanwhile, the German government, ahead of a planned meeting between Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Trump, expects clear declarations regarding future tariffs, hoping to improve Berlin's negotiating position. Despite the court defeat, the U.S. administration is trying to maintain existing trade agreements by introducing new concepts, such as "surcharge," which many analysts see as an attempt to circumvent the court's ruling and continue the previous policy under a new name. „The Court cannot stand idly by when the executive branch attempts to expand its powers beyond the limits set by Congress under the guise of ill-defined national security.” — Neil Gorsuch On Asian and European markets, cautious optimism prevails, although experts from Allianz and Bloomberg Business warn that the relief may prove to be merely on paper. China is emerging as the biggest beneficiary of the current turmoil, as uncertainty in the U.S. weakens the dollar and gives Beijing arguments in relations with the European Union. The information chaos is compounded by the fact that the Trump administration does not intend to abandon protectionism, which heralds another year of tensions in relations with India, Japan, and African countries, which criticize the terms of economic cooperation with Washington as "immoral" and one-sided.

Mentioned People

  • Donald Trump — U.S. President whose tariff policy was challenged by the Supreme Court.
  • Friedrich Merz — Chancellor of Germany planning a meeting with the U.S. President regarding tariffs.
  • Neil Gorsuch — U.S. Supreme Court Justice who issued a warning about the president's abuse of power.