BATON ROUGE — In a major decision defining the limits of presidential power, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive orders that imposed broad global tariffs.

The 6-3 ruling is widely viewed as a significant setback to Trump’s economic agenda and leaves businesses and global markets searching for clarity.

“The world right now is very unsure with what this means,” said Dr. Susan Ariel Aaronson, a research professor of international affairs at George Washington University.

The Court ruled that Trump overstepped his authority by using an emergency powers law to impose widespread import taxes. The tariffs included what he described as “reciprocal” duties on nearly every country, generating more than $133 billion in revenue.

One of the biggest unanswered questions is what happens to the money already collected.

“Those tariffs need to be paid back, and the Supreme Court did not delineate how and when, it said nothing about that,” Aaronson said.

Without specific guidance from the Court, companies could face a lengthy and complicated process to determine whether they are owed refunds and how quickly they might receive them.

Aaronson also warned that consumers may continue feeling the effects of the tariffs, even though they have now been overturned.

“Wages do not keep pace with inflation and wages do not keep pace with the added cost of tariffs,” she said.

At the heart of the case is a broader constitutional issue over who controls trade policy.

“The constitution is very clear that trade policymaking is a shared responsibility,” Aaronson added, suggesting Congress may ultimately need to step in.

As lawmakers and the administration weigh their next steps, businesses and consumers alike are left navigating continued uncertainty.

Following the ruling, Trump said during a press conference that he plans to impose a new 10% global tariff under a different legal authority while continuing to pursue his trade agenda through other means.