UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Tariffs in trouble

Q1. Following the February 2026 Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the IEEPA-based tariffs, the new 'temporary import surcharge' under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 was operationalised in the United States through an instrument issued by which one of the following?

  • A. A Proclamation issued by the President of the United States
  • B. A determination issued by the United States Trade Representative (USTR)
  • C. An order issued by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC)
  • D. A rule issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce

Q2. Who authored (delivered) the majority opinion in the February 2026 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down the IEEPA-based tariffs?

  • A. Chief Justice John Roberts
  • B. Justice Neil Gorsuch
  • C. Justice Amy Coney Barrett
  • D. Justice Samuel Alito

Q3. In the February 2026 ruling holding that IEEPA does not authorise the President to impose tariffs, how many of the nine Justices formed the majority?

  • A. 6
  • B. 5
  • C. 7
  • D. 9

Q4. In the 2026 IEEPA tariff judgment, the 'Major Questions Doctrine' invoked by the Court refers to which one of the following principles?

  • A. Congress must clearly authorise the Executive before it can decide matters of vast economic and political significance
  • B. Courts must defer to a reasonable executive interpretation of an ambiguous statute
  • C. An emergency declared by the President cannot be reviewed by the judiciary
  • D. International treaty obligations automatically override conflicting domestic statutes