Detroit Free Press
February 20, 2026
Todd Spangler
In a stunning reversal for President Donald Trump, a split U.S. Supreme Court on Friday, Feb. 20, ruled against his imposition of a sweeping regime of worldwide tariffs — taxes which are applied on imported goods — under the auspices of a law giving the nation’s chief executive special powers in times of national emergency.
What does it mean for Michigan? It’s complicated.
At MichAuto, the auto-focused, Detroit Regional Chamber-affiliated economic development group, Executive Director Glenn Stevens Jr. said the decision “correctly recognizes that the law was misapplied,” and that there are hopes that if the administration looks for other ways to reimpose them it does so with the harm they can cause in mind.
“Michigan’s businesses are disproportionately negatively impacted by tariffs, especially in our automotive, manufacturing, and agriculture sectors,” Stevens said. Trump’s move to reimplement them immediately, however, suggests he is not likely to accept that argument.