‘Tariffs suck’: Some Republicans privately celebrate as Supreme Court blocks Trump policy

Some Republicans are quietly cheering the Supreme Court’s decision blocking most of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Friday, even as it deals a blow to a cornerstone of the commander in chief’s foreign policy and economic strategy.

One conservative House GOP lawmaker granted anonymity to speak freely, for example, said they were “relieved.”

“It’s the right result,” they said. “I am already seeing messages of relief and approval from other members of the Republican conference, as well. I expect that even more will express that relief. This helps to ensure Congress keeps its power over tariffs and preserves separation of power.”

Another Trump-aligned House Republican told Fox News Digital, “I think the Supreme Court rightfully decided that this was an Article I authority.”

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“Conservatives don’t like tariffs as a long-term strategy,” the second House Republican said. “The president was right to use them as a tool, and he was right to use them to get outcomes on certain things. But in a long-term way… it’s a tax on consumers.”

The conservative-majority high court ruled on Friday that Trump did not have the authority to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The White House’s interpretation of the 1977 law was used as the basis for sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs that Trump first unveiled last year.

But Chief Justice John Roberts argued that the law would have more expressly mentioned tariff authority if that is what it was meant for.

Roberts said “the president must ‘point to clear congressional authorization’ to justify his extraordinary assertion of the power to impose tariffs,” which “he cannot.”

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The ruling, and subsequent wave of relief, isn’t the first time Republicans have bucked Trump and his tariffs. The Senate on several occasions has voted against specific parts of the strategy, and the House voted last week to end Trump’s emergency declaration on Canada aimed at ending tariffs there.

“Article One gives tariff authority to Congress. This was a common sense and straightforward ruling by the Supreme Court. I feel vindicated as I’ve been saying this for the last 12 months,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., one of six House Republicans who voted against the Canada tariffs last week, told Fox News Digital. “Besides the Constitutional concerns I had on the Administration’s broad-based tariffs, I also do not think tariffs are smart economic policy. Broad-based tariffs are bad economics.”

One GOP aide bluntly told Fox News Digital after the ruling, “Tariffs suck and are useless.”  

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., one of the most vocal opponents of tariffs in the Senate, contended in a post on X shortly after the ruling that the Supreme Court “struck down using emergency powers to enact taxes.”

“No future administration, including a socialist one, can use ‘emergency’ powers to get around Congress and tax by decree,” Paul said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

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But not every Republican was thrilled by the result, nor their colleagues’ attitude toward the hefty blow dealt to Trump’s agenda and the ripple effect it could have on his economic policies. One Republican source described the outpouring of relief or opposition as “50/50.”

A GOP Senate source told Fox News Digital, “If this is a relief to any Republican, then they clearly don’t care about their president’s agenda.” 

“The administration will find a way around this, and should, but anyone who’s celebrating right now is probably missing a part of their brain,” the source said. “I don’t understand how someone can see President Trump and the American people lose trillions of dollars and smile.”

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Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital that he was disappointed by the decision, but not surprised, and noted that the court was divided on the issue.

“President Trump’s tariffs were delivering results — bringing our trading partners to the table, securing ten trade agreements, and driving supply chains and manufacturing back to the United States,” Marshall said. “These tools were also advancing our national security interests, including pressuring countries like India to stop purchasing Russian oil.” 

A third House Republican, granted anonymity to speak candidly, told Fox News Digital the Supreme Court decision was “a severe blow” because the tariffs “were making progress that we finally have on fair trade.”