'The Framers did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch,' Chief Justice John Roberts writes in 6-3 decision

WASHINGTON

The US Supreme Court struck down on Friday President Donald Trump's global tariff campaign, saying the major pillar of his administration's policies lacks a legal foundation.

The top court's 6-3 decision severely cuts down on a tool Trump has used to pursue his economic and foreign policy agendas after he spent much of his first year in office using the levies to push nations to cut new trade deals, and saying tariffs were one of several tools he used to pressure countries into halting wars.

The Supreme Court said the Constitution "very clearly" gives Congress the authority to tax, including decisions to impose tariffs, not the president.

"The Framers did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote on behalf of the majority, referring to the authors of the Constitution.

The court dismissed the president's rationale that a 1977 law, known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEAPA), allows him to impose the import duties on an emergency basis.

"IEEPA authorizes the President to 'investigate, block during the pendency of an investigation, regulate, direct and compel, nullify, void, prevent or prohibit ... importation or exportation,'" Roberts wrote.

"Absent from this lengthy list of specific powers is any mention of tariffs or duties. Had Congress intended to convey the distinct and extraordinary power to impose tariffs, it would have done so expressly, as it consistently has in other tariff statutes," he added.

Trump had used the IEEAPA to impose both his "reciprocal" tariffs on nations around the world, as well as separate duties he has slapped on Canada, Mexico and China with the stated aim of halting the flow of illicit fentanyl into the US.

Conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas dissented.

All three major US stock indices jumped on news of the ruling after negative GDP data released earlier Friday morning soured investors. Trump has yet to comment publicly on the top court's decision, though he has long defended his use of tariffs, saying they are a matter of "national security." By Michael Hernandez, Anadolu Agency