About This Lesson
In March 2025, President Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China. At the beginning of April, he imposed and then mostly reversed across-the-board tariffs on all foreign countries. The tariffs against China, which remain in place, are now being challenged in federal court.
These developments have sparked renewed debate about the scope of presidential power in matters of trade. What is the constitutional basis for imposing tariffs and how do emergency powers factor into these decisions?In this Constitution Daily blog post, we explore the constitutional and historical background of tariffs in the United States, highlighting how tariff authority has shifted over time.
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Constitution in the Headlines is a new collection of curated resources from the National Constitution Center designed to help educators contextualize constitutional topics in the news.
Find shortened, classroom-friendly versions of America’s Town Hall programs, We the People podcasts, or Constitution Daily blog posts that include nonpartisan analysis from experts and constitutional scholars from across the ideological spectrum.
