Attorney General Ford Applauds Supreme Court Ruling Reaffirming Limits on Presidential Tariff Authority

Carson City, NV — Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that former President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs were unlawful, affirming lower court rulings and reinforcing constitutional limits on executive authority.

In a 6-3 decision, the Court held that the president exceeded his authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad tariffs, emphasizing that the Constitution grants Congress — not the executive branch — the power to levy tariffs and taxes. The ruling invalidates a wide range of tariffs imposed on imports from numerous countries and establishes new limits on the use of emergency powers in trade policy.

“The Supreme Court has made it unmistakably clear: the president does not have unilateral power to impose sweeping tariffs. These unlawful actions have caused small businesses to close and prices to rise for Nevada families,” said Attorney General Ford. “While the Governor has said that Nevadans should ‘feel a little pain’ from the President’s tariffs, I disagree. Nevadans deserve relief, which is why I took the President to court and won. We secured a win for hardworking Americans, and I will not hesitate to keep fighting to protect your ability to support your family.”

Nevada’s economy has already felt the impact of these tariffs, with experts estimating they imposed approximately $985 million in additional costs on Nevada businesses based on the volume of imported goods entering the state from January to November 2024.

Attorney General Ford worked alongside a coalition of attorneys general to challenge the tariffs, arguing they represented an unlawful expansion of executive power that caused significant economic harm to states, consumers, and businesses nationwide. Joining Attorney General Ford in the effort were the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont.

The Nevada Attorney General’s Office is now reviewing the Court’s decision and evaluating next steps for Nevada businesses and consumers.

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