February 20, 2026
RALEIGH – The John Locke Foundation is encouraged to see today’s Supreme Court ruling regarding unilateral executive implementation of tariffs.
“Today’s decision is a victory for the Constitution, for consumers, and for the rule of law,” said Donald Bryson, CEO of the John Locke Foundation. “The Supreme Court has reaffirmed a foundational principle: the power to tax and regulate trade belongs to Congress. Tariffs are taxes, and no president may impose sweeping new taxes on the American people through creative interpretations of emergency statutes.”
“These tariffs increased costs for families, disrupted supply chains, hurt North Carolina businesses, and triggered retaliation against our farmers and manufacturers,” said Bryson. “By rejecting this misuse of emergency authority, the Court has restored clear constitutional limits and reinforced that major economic policy must come from the legislative branch.”
“The John Locke Foundation has opposed these tariffs from the beginning because free trade with free nations, limited government, and predictable rules are essential to long-term prosperity. Today’s ruling is an important step toward restoring those principles — and toward ensuring that economic decisions affecting every American are made transparently and constitutionally.”