McConnell, Paul cheer SCOTUS ruling on Trump tariffs. KY Senate GOP candidates complain
Kentucky’s two U.S. Senators applauded the U.S. Supreme Court’s Friday ruling striking down many of the tariffs levied by Republican President Donald Trump.
In its ruling, the nation’s high court found that the Trump administration could not use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs. Most of Trump’s tariffs during his second term, including those announced on his “Liberation Day” last April, were levied using that method.
Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul don’t always agree on everything, but they both applauded the court’s 6-3 ruling in statements Friday. The two have cited their commitment to free trade as a reason for opposing tariffs.
Paul, in a post to X, wrote that he’s relieved in this case and in potential future cases where a “socialist” president could use those emergency powers to shape the economy without Congress.
“The Supreme Court defended the Constitution by rejecting the use of ‘emergency’ powers to impose taxes,” Paul wrote. “Tariffs are taxes and the power to declare them belongs to the Congress. This goes beyond this case. No future administration, including a socialist one, can use ‘emergency’ powers to get around Congress and tax by decree.”
McConnell cheered the ruling as a reaffirmation of Congress’ power, as well as good policy.
“As a matter of policy, the empty merits of sweeping trade wars with America’s friends were evident long before today’s decision,” McConnell wrote. “The American people already know that when Washington throws up artificial barriers, building and buying here at home become more expensive. Kentuckians whose livelihoods depend on auto manufacturing, agricultural commodity markets, or demand for bourbon whiskey understand this painful reality better than most.”
“But as a matter of Constitutional authority, there is now no room for doubt: the use of IEEPA to circumvent Congress in the imposition of tariffs – already without precedent – is also illegal,” he added.
In a press conference Friday, Trump said “we have alternatives” to potentially circumvent the ruling. He did not say exactly how his administration would move forward.
GOP candidates for McConnell’s seat have differing opinion
Three of the leading candidates for the Republican nomination to replace McConnell, who is not running for reelection this year, took the opposite position as McConnell and Paul.
Lexington tech entrepreneur Nate Morris, Rep. Andy Barr and former Attorney General Daniel Cameron all pushed back against the ruling.
Morris wrote in a statement that the ruling was a “short-term win for globalism,” but he supports Trump reimposing tariffs.
“This outrageous ruling by the Supreme Court is a slap in the face to working-class Americans who have been screwed over for decades by globalist politicians and disastrous trade deals that drove down wages and de-industrialized our nation,” Morris wrote.
Morris also called on Congress to pass a bill to codify the Trump tariffs.
Rep. Andy Barr, who is also running, wrote that he supported Trump’s efforts to “reinstate tariffs.”
“We cannot stand by while the Supreme Court undermines the America First trade agenda. Here in Kentucky’s Sixth Congressional District, Apple didn’t just expand because of Trump’s strategy — they moved 100% of iPhone glass production from China and other Asian countries to our District.”
Barr also wrote that past presidents had used tariffs, and “it’s time to end the double standards against Trump.” However, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Trump’s efforts to use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs, which no president had done before.
A spokesperson for Cameron wrote in a statement that the candidate was “disappointed by today’s ruling.”
“President Trump and his administration still have multiple channels to enforce tariffs and secure fair trade deals that put American workers, manufacturers, and our national interest first,” the spokesperson wrote.
This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 2:21 PM.
