The Supreme Court's ruling in the tariffs case has been hailed as a devastating blow for President Trump and a triumph for the rule of law. Even though Trump had warned that a loss in this case 'would literally destroy the United States of America,' the Court broke from its pattern of siding with him. Prominent media outlets have described the decision as a 'resounding ' smackdown,' a 'declaration of independence' by the justices, maybe even 'the most important Supreme Court decision this century.' The tariffs ruling is indeed a smackdown. And Trump obviously doesn't like to lose. But his critics' celebrations and his own furious response risk obscuring a deeper dynamic at play: Both the White House and the Court stand to gain from the decision. As a matter of law, the opinion breaks hardly any new ground. Notwithstanding the decision's 'blockbuster' trappings, the holding of the case is simple and surgical: One particular statute (the International Emergency Economic Powers Act),...
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