The Supreme Court rejected a request from Learning Resources Inc., an Illinois toy company, to expedite a decision on the legality of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The company asserted that the tariffs and resulting uncertainty were significantly impacting businesses nationwide and urged the Supreme Court to address the issue promptly. However, the justices declined to fast-track the case, citing the typical reluctance to intervene before lower courts have ruled.
Currently, an appeals court is scheduled to hear the case in late July. Learning Resources Inc. contends that President Trump unlawfully imposed tariffs using emergency powers, bypassing Congress. While the company initially secured a favorable ruling in a lower court, the decision is pending as the appeals court deliberates on a broader injunction against Trump’s tariffs. In the interim, the appeals court has permitted the collection of tariffs under the emergency powers law.
The Trump administration has defended the tariffs by asserting that the emergency powers law grants the president authority to regulate imports during national emergencies, citing the long-standing trade deficit as a qualifying factor. The outcome of this legal battle will have significant implications for the administration’s trade policies and the broader economic landscape.