Updated November 5, 2025 at 4:29 PM MST

President Trump's claim of unilateral power to impose tariffs across the globe hit a wall of skepticism at the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Over the course of an argument that lasted almost three hours, both the court's conservatives and liberals seemed doubtful about the legal authority underpinning Trump's signature economic policy.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer, representing Trump, was first up to the lectern, telling the court that Trump imposed the tariffs to deal with two dire emergencies: a persistent trade imbalance and the flood of fentanyl entering the United States.

But the justices were openly doubtful about the president's claim that he has the power to impose tariffs under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, known as I

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