Supreme Court Begins Term Testing Trump's Executive Power Limits

The U.S. Supreme Court's 2025-26 term is poised to examine significant cases testing President Donald Trump's expansive executive authority, including challenges to his use of emergency powers to impose import tariffs. Plaintiffs, including small businesses and states, argue that Trump's tariffs overstep congressional powers and impose economic harm, while the administration defends the actions as lawful measures for national security and trade leverage. The Court's conservative majority has shown deference to Trump's assertions of power, though liberal justices, notably Ketanji Brown Jackson, have criticized this trend as lacking fixed legal rules. Beyond tariffs, the Court will also address issues related to birthright citizenship orders and the firing of independent agency officials, with implications for the balance of executive and congressional authority. The term is expected to be highly polarized, reflecting the broader political tensions surrounding the Court's conservative supermajority appointed largely during Trump's administration and the strong dissents from liberal justices. These cases will shape the limits of presidential power and have profound effects on constitutional law and governance.