Supreme Court ruling against Trump tariffs gets bipartisan support among WA lawmakers

In Washington state, Democrats and some Republicans are welcoming the U.S. Supreme Court decision restricting the president's ability to impose sweeping tariffs.

In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that President Trump could not invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 to set tariffs on imports. The court said Trump exceeded his authority when he used the act to impose tariffs on U.S. trading partners. Trump responded promptly that his administration has “other alternatives” to replace the tariffs struck down by the court.

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NPR reports that tariffs affected by the ruling represent about half of all the import taxes the government is collecting each month. Other tariffs were issued under different statutes which are not being challenged.

The federal government collected more than $200 billion in tariffs in 2025 driven by Trump’s executive orders, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Washington state Democrats hailed the U.S. Supreme Court ruling. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat, issued a statement headlined “Good Riddance.”

“Small businesses across Washington state are breathing a sigh of relief thanks to this decision," Murray said. "Trump’s erratic tariff regime was nothing short of economic arson."

She added, “While this decision puts an important leash on an out-of-control White House, we have to recognize that so much damage has already been done.”

Murray accused Republicans of “cowardice” and “deference” to Trump’s tariffs.

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Some Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, who represents the trade-dependent Fourth District in central Washington, have also protested the Trump administration’s tariff strategy and the reciprocal tariffs that resulted.

In a statement Friday, Newhouse said the Supreme Court decision “restores balance” between the president and Congress.

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court reaffirms Congress’s authority under Article I of the Constitution to levy tariffs and restores balance between the legislative and executive branches," Newhouse said. "Tariffs can be effective in securing new trade deals when used in a targeted manner. I remain committed to working with President Trump's administration to secure trade deals that put American farmers, businesses, and consumers first.”

Newhouse was one of six Republicans who voted with House Democrats earlier this month to rescind tariffs on Canadian products, saying “the fact of the matter remains the tariffs on Canada have harmed Washingtonians.”

He is not seeking reelection. Washington state’s other congressional Republican, Rep. Michael Baumgartner from Spokane, voted to keep those tariffs in place.

Washington State Republican Party Chair and state Rep. Jim Walsh largely echoed Newhouse's sentiments. In an interview with KUOW, Walsh called the Supreme Court decision understandable, rational, and unsurprising. He characterized it not as a “categorical reversal” but an order for the Trump administration to “trim your sails” and use tariffs more narrowly.

“Amongst conservatives and Republicans, the idea is that we like to see tariff policy used, but used effectively and with precision," Walsh said.

He added, “I think in the long run, we want a trade policy in which the United States is not the sucker anymore — in which the United States acts appropriately when trading partners tariff and tax us.”

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson called the U.S. Supreme Court decision a gain for the state’s families, workers, and businesses. He noted that a coalition of state officials had submitted a brief supporting the legal challenge to Trump’s tariffs.

“These tariffs have undermined the state’s economic well-being and severely disrupted key sectors of Washington’s economy, including agriculture, manufacturing, and technology, resulting in higher costs for consumers and businesses, and reduced competitiveness in global markets,” Ferguson said in a statement.

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On X, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown called the ruling a "resounding victory for the rule of law and for the American people forced to pick up the costs of this illegal scheme.”

Since returning to the White House, Trump has raised a wide variety of tariffs. Not all of those tax increases were challenged at the Supreme Court.

The tariffs at stake in the court case are those issued under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, known as IEEPA, a 1970s statute that never uses the word tariff.

The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce in a statement called the Supreme Court decision "a clear rebuke of the Administration’s attempt to stretch emergency powers beyond what Congress authorized." The Chamber thanked Ferguson for advocating to overturn the tariffs, adding, "We hope this ruling encourages the Administration to reassess its tariff strategy and pursue policies that strengthen trade, lower costs, and support Washington’s economy.”