The global import-export landscape shifted again after the US Supreme Court ruled against President Donald Trump’s controversial tariffs on Friday.
The latest ruling effectively ends the administration’s attempt to continue the tariff programme introduced last year against countries perceived to have benefited from trade surpluses with the US.
“The United States Supreme Court has ruled that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority by imposing broad tariffs on imports from over 100 countries under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act,” Al Jazeera reported.
The court ruled 6–3 against Trump’s appeal of an earlier decision that had declared the April 2025 tariff response illegal. The legal challenge began when a group of small businesses, consolidated under Learning Resources Inc, filed suit in the US Court of International Trade.
Daily Maverick reported that the ruling nullifies reciprocal tariffs, including duties of up to 34% on China and 25% duties on goods from Canada, China and Mexico tied to fentanyl concerns. Steel and aluminium tariffs imposed under separate legislation remain intact.
Despite the ruling, Trump announced on Saturday a blanket tariff rate of 10% on all countries trading with the US, to remain in effect for 150 days.
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) the US Court of International Trade ruled unanimously on May 28 against the “reciprocal tariffs”, which included duties of up to 31% on South African exports and as much as 50% on goods from Lesotho.
Lesotho’s tariffs were later revised down to 15%, but the initial increases had already triggered factory closures, with Chinese investors withdrawing from textile plants exporting denim to the US. The ruling was initially stayed but later upheld on August 29 by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, prompting the Trump administration to petition the Supreme Court on September 3.
