UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Why did U.S. SC reject Trump’s tariffs?

Q1. In the context of the U.S. Supreme Court's tariff ruling, Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — the statute under which President Trump reimposed tariffs after the IEEPA verdict — empowers the President to:

• A. Impose a temporary import surcharge of up to 15% for 150 days to address large and serious balance-of-payments deficits
• B. Impose tariffs of any rate on imports found to threaten national security
• C. Retaliate with duties against countries engaging in unjustifiable or unfair foreign trade practices
• D. Levy safeguard duties indefinitely against a sudden surge of imports causing injury to a domestic industry

Q2. With reference to the legal architecture of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2026 tariff ruling, consider the following: 1. IEEPA, 1977 — a peacetime statute carved out of the Trading with the Enemy Act, 1917 2. Section 232 of the Trade Act of 1974 — the basis on which Trump reimposed a 10% tariff after the ruling 3. Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution — vests the power to lay and collect duties in Congress 4. Court of International Trade — the bench that delivered the 6-3 verdict against the IEEPA tariffs Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

1. IEEPA, 1977 — a peacetime statute carved out of the Trading with the Enemy Act, 1917
2. Section 232 of the Trade Act of 1974 — the basis on which Trump reimposed a 10% tariff after the ruling
3. Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution — vests the power to lay and collect duties in Congress
4. Court of International Trade — the bench that delivered the 6-3 verdict against the IEEPA tariffs

• A. 1 and 3
• B. 2 and 4
• C. 1, 2 and 4
• D. 3 only

Q3. Consider the following statements comparing the struck-down IEEPA tariffs with the Section 122 tariffs Trump reimposed thereafter: 1. The IEEPA tariffs were struck down for lacking clear congressional authorisation, whereas the Section 122 tariffs rest on an express statutory grant. 2. Unlike the open-ended IEEPA tariffs, Section 122 caps the surcharge at 10% — the rate Trump actually applied. 3. Whereas the IEEPA tariffs were premised on a declared national emergency, Section 122 tariffs are aimed at addressing balance-of-payments deficits. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. The IEEPA tariffs were struck down for lacking clear congressional authorisation, whereas the Section 122 tariffs rest on an express statutory grant.
2. Unlike the open-ended IEEPA tariffs, Section 122 caps the surcharge at 10% — the rate Trump actually applied.
3. Whereas the IEEPA tariffs were premised on a declared national emergency, Section 122 tariffs are aimed at addressing balance-of-payments deficits.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1 and 3 only
• C. 2 and 3 only
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. Who authored the majority (opinion of the Court) in the U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 decision striking down the IEEPA tariffs (Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, 2026)?

• A. Chief Justice John Roberts
• B. Justice Elena Kagan
• C. Justice Brett Kavanaugh
• D. Justice Neil Gorsuch

Q5. With reference to the U.S. Supreme Court's tariff ruling and its aftermath, consider the following statements: 1. The Court ruled 6-3 that IEEPA does not authorise the President to impose tariffs. 2. Following the ruling, Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a 10% global tariff. 3. The Court held that the constitutional power to lay tariffs belongs to Congress under Article I, Section 8. 4. IEEPA was enacted in 1977 as a wartime statute to regulate trade exclusively with enemy nations. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly stated?

1. The Court ruled 6-3 that IEEPA does not authorise the President to impose tariffs.
2. Following the ruling, Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a 10% global tariff.
3. The Court held that the constitutional power to lay tariffs belongs to Congress under Article I, Section 8.
4. IEEPA was enacted in 1977 as a wartime statute to regulate trade exclusively with enemy nations.

• A. 1 and 2
• B. 2 and 3
• C. 4 only
• D. 3 and 4