CNN Politics CNN Inside Politics: SCOTUS Hears Arguments on Trump Tariffs
Nov 5, 2025
Steve Vladeck, a legal scholar specializing in Supreme Court litigation, and Congressman Jamie Raskin, an expert in constitutional law, dive into the heated Supreme Court hearings regarding Trump's authority to impose emergency tariffs. They dissect the implications of executive power, with Vladeck highlighting the landmark nature of this case. Raskin counters with the argument that Congress, not the president, holds exclusive rights over tariffs. The discussions reveal justices' skepticism toward the administration's legal stance, raising questions about broader presidential emergency powers.
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Case Tests Limits Of Executive Statutory Power
- The case tests how broadly the executive can interpret a statute that doesn't mention tariffs.
- Its outcome will signal how the Court treats expansive presidential authority going forward.
Major Questions Doctrine Looms Large
- The justices raised the major questions doctrine, asking Congress should decide issues with huge political or economic significance.
- That doctrine pushed skepticism toward allowing the president to sidestep Congress on sweeping tariffs.
Justices Consider Real-World Political Costs
- Justices like Neil Gorsuch highlighted real-world political consequences of Congress reclaiming delegated power.
- That realism signaled reluctance to allow easy transfer of sweeping authority back to the president.