Major companies sit out Supreme Court fight over Trump tariffs

As the Supreme Court takes up challenges to Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs on November 5, 2025, major corporations are largely staying out of the legal fight, leaving small firms and a coalition of states to argue the case. The justices will weigh whether the president can use emergency powers to levy sweeping import taxes—a test with big stakes for trade policy and executive authority.

What’s new

The court will hear consolidated arguments in Learning Resources v. Trump and related cases testing whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) authorizes broad tariffs. Large U.S. companies have not filed amicus briefs or brought suits in the Supreme Court proceeding, according to Reuters. Instead, small businesses and several states are fronting the challenge.

Background

Trump’s “Liberation Day” package on April 2, 2025, imposed a 10% baseline tariff on most imports, with higher rates for dozens of countries, after earlier orders targeted Canada, Mexico, and China. A three-judge trade court ruled on May 28 that the IEEPA tariffs were unlawful; an appeals court later held 7–4 that Trump overstepped his authority, setting up this week’s review. The Supreme Court declined to fast-track the case in June but is now hearing it on an expedited basis. See coverage from AP, The Washington Post, and Reuters. A Supreme Court docket entry in Learning Resources v. Trump reflects the expedited timeline.

Why it matters

An appeals court already ruled 7-4 that IEEPA doesn’t authorize these tariffs, underscoring how the justices’ reading of emergency powers could curb or affirm a central pillar of Trump’s trade agenda. An adverse ruling could trigger large-scale tariff refunds—potentially up to $1 trillion, according to The Washington Post—and reshape how presidents act unilaterally on trade.

What big business is doing instead

Many large companies have focused on lobbying for exclusions and supply-chain adjustments rather than public court filings, while hundreds of smaller firms have joined briefs opposing the tariffs, Reuters reports. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has argued against using IEEPA for blanket tariffs in lower-court filings, reflecting business concerns about costs and uncertainty.

What’s next

The court’s decision could arrive within weeks or months. Even if the justices narrow IEEPA-based tariff authority, the administration could seek duties under other trade statutes—but those generally require procedural steps and investigations, as noted by The Washington Post.

Sources

• A toy maker takes his case against Trump’s tariffs to the Supreme Court — Reuters (November 3, 2025)
• Supreme Court to weigh legality of Trump’s tariffs in key economic case — The Washington Post (September 9, 2025)
• Federal court blocks Trump from imposing sweeping tariffs under emergency powers law — AP (May 28, 2025)
• US Supreme Court declines to speed up decision on taking up fight over Trump tariffs — Reuters (June 20, 2025)