Navigating new currents: Thailand-US trade after the tariff ruling

The recent decision by the US Supreme Court that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act in imposing broad tariffs marks an important institutional clarification in US trade governance. The court reaffirmed that tariff powers ultimately reside with Congress.

Yet this is not the end of US tariff activism. The administration has already moved to rely on other statutory tools, including Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, to impose temporary across-the-board tariffs. In practical terms, this means policy volatility remains. The legal basis may shift, but protectionist impulses persist.