Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

On Feb. 20, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a 6-3 ruling against President Donald Trump’s administration in the case of Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump. The court dictated that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act doesn’t authorize the president to impose tariffs.

By framing tariffs as a way to punish China, Japan, Indonesia and other nations the United States frequently trades with for unfair trade practices, protect American jobs and promote in-house manufacturing, the administration overstepped the authority granted by the IEEPA.

The three dissenting judges — Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh — were all appointed by Republican presidents. This divide, in my opinion, raises serious questions about the Republican Party’s priorities and how far it’s willing to go to achieve them.

With midterms approaching and a majority in the Senate and Supreme Court, the Republican Party is rushing to promote its agenda and capitalize on unified power. It is voters’ responsibility to stop this from happening.

The current Supreme Court has nine justices, six of whom were nominated by Republican presidents. This makeup matters when considering the scope of the court’s decisions.

In 2016, Merrick Garland, a chief judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, was nominated by President Barack Obama to fill an open seat on the court’s bench. But, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to hold hearings or a vote, leaving the spot vacant. The seat remained open until Trump took office, ultimately filled by Neil Gorsuch after a close appointment vote.

The Senate majority declined to even consider a nominee from a sitting president, then moved to confirm a successor from its own party.

Four years later, Judge Amy Coney Barrett was appointed before the 2020 presidential election. Unlike Garland, Barrett received hearings and a confirmation vote despite proximity to the election. Repealing a Democratic nominee to implement a Republican nominee just months later is hypocrisy.

Since Trump’s reelection, he has pushed the court to follow his executive demand, instead of allowing him to operate with minimal resistance.

Consider the reversal of the Chevron Doctrine in 2024. For decades, the Chevron Doctrine allowed field professionals to fill legal gaps in laws that they followed. For educators, this meant efficiency within financial aid, student debt and clarity within Title IX cases. By overturning Chevron, the court consolidated power within the judiciary.

For students, this shift should raise alarm. Since the Chevron overturning, Trump has implemented a cap on maximum amounts of financial aid for students. With precedent to make such brash decisions regarding students’ futures, we must condemn the influence of Trump and the Republican Party on the Supreme Court in order to protect ourselves moving forward.

Sophia Burke | Digital Design Director

A 2025 New York Times questionnaire indicated that justices themselves believe the emergency docket is allowing Trump’s executive orders to be expedited without reason. This misuse, they argue, is sending lower-level courts into disarray, leaving judges with little preparation time for hearings.

Historically, U.S. checks and balances have allowed the court to have the final say on what the President is capable of doing within his role. The Trump administration has overstepped these boundaries.

Before Trump’s first term, the last time Republicans controlled the presidency and Congress was between 2003 and 2007. Now, they also have control of the Supreme Court. Conservatives have been long awaiting for a time to rewrite all the precedents within Supreme Court decisions so that their ideological agenda is law.

Abortion, affirmative action, environmental protections, voting rights, releasing federal employees, deporting migrants back to dangerous, war-torn nations and withholding billions in funds that were intended for international development and global health programs already approved by Congress are just some of the many pivotal topics that have fallen under scrutiny by these leaders. In their eyes, they are only getting started.

Trump has gone to extreme lengths to take and abuse power. Not only has he disregarded court decisions that undermine his goals, he has also used the Republican majority in the Supreme Court to allow him to continue on this rampage. If the Supreme Court fails to keep him in check, I fear for the survival of democracy within the U.S.

We have the opportunity as voters to help slow this constitutional crisis. This upcoming midterm, go out and vote. The current Republican-led Senate will bend to Trump, but without a majority, he won’t be able to carry on in the same manner as he is now. The Senate is the body that appoints Supreme Court judges. With a Democratic majority in the Senate, the court will be impartial in its rulings.

Democracy should not be a privilege, but some of our citizens and leaders believe otherwise. It’s our duty to ensure that it remains paramount within our minds for the sake of our nation.

William Dumond is a sophomore studying political science and policy studies. He can be reached at whdumond@syr.edu.

Published on March 3, 2026 at 10:45 pm