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Saturday, February 21, 2026

Ex-UK Prime Minister Johnson calls on allies to send noncombat troops to Ukraine ahead of ceasefire

February 21, 2026
Ex-UK Prime Minister Johnson calls on allies to send noncombat troops to Ukraine ahead of ceasefire

LONDON (AP) — Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the U.K. and its European allies should immediatelydeploy noncombat troopsto Ukraine to show Russian President Vladimir Putin that Western nations are truly committed to the nation's freedom and independence.

Associated Press

Speaking ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scaleinvasion of Ukraine, Johnson told the BBC that the troops should be sent to peaceful regions in non-fighting roles. The comments from Johnson, who was one ofUkraine's staunchest supportersas Britain's leader during the first months of the conflict, were contained in excerpts of an interview that will be broadcast on Sunday.

If adopted, the proposal from Johnson would mark a major policy shift for the U.K. and its allies. While the "coalition of the willing" isworking on plansto send troops to Ukraine, such a deployment would only take place after an agreement to end the fighting and would be designed to police the ceasefire.

"If we are willing to do it in the context of a ceasefire, which of course puts all the initiative, all the power, in Putin's hands, why not do it now?'' Johnson said. "There is no logical reason that I can see why we shouldn't send peaceful ground forces there to show our support, our constitutional support for a free, independent Ukraine."

Western military planners have avoided discussing such a move publicly out of concern that Russia would see it as an escalation of the conflict.

Putin in September rejected Western proposals for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, saying that any troops deployed to the country would be "legitimate targets."

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But Johnson said Putin shouldn't be able to dictate terms to Ukraine and its allies.

"It's about whether Ukraine is a free country or not," he said. "If it's a vassal state of Russia, which is what Putin wants, then obviously it's up to Putin to decide who comes to his country. If it's not, then it's up to the Ukrainians."

When asked about Johnson's comments, Britain's Ministry of Defense said the government was continuing to work with the coalition of the willing to prepare for the deployment of troops to Ukraine after a ceasefire.

"The multinational force Ukraine under UK leadership will secure peace for the long term, with the Prime Minister being clear that we will put British troops on the ground following the end of hostilities," the ministry said in a statement.

Johnson said the war in Ukraine was the result of the West's failure to support Ukraine after theinvasion of Crimeain 2014, as well as its inability to punish Bashar al-Assad forusing chemical weaponsagainst his own people in Syria and the debacle of theU.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"I think Putin was emboldened by a Western failure in Syria to punish Assad for using chemical weapons," he said.

"I think Putin was further emboldened in February 2022 by what he'd seen in Afghanistan, and a sort of general sense that the West was on the back foot. He'd seen those appalling pictures of Americans being forced to flee Afghanistan and the UK pulling out as well, and that really did embolden him."

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Friends buried by an avalanche: The harrowing story of their fight for survival

February 21, 2026
Friends buried by an avalanche: The harrowing story of their fight for survival

The eight friends found joy in the mountains, skiing together across the untracked powder of the hushed, pristine wilderness of California's Sierra Nevada – their close friendship standing out against a rugged, unforgiving terrain.

CNN (Top) Caroline Sekar, Liz Clabaugh, Kate Vitt (Bottom) Carrie Atkin, Danielle Keatley Kate Morse - Kiren Sekar, The Clabaugh family, Families of Danielle Keatley, Carrie Atkin, Kate Vitt and Kate Morse

The trip had been planned well in advance: A three-day expedition that began at Frog Lake Backcountry Huts – a hard-to-reach but cozy oasis 7,600 feet high in the Tahoe National Forest area, accessible only by ski, snowboard or snowshoe.

The group – mothers, wives and passionate, skilled skiers – came from different parts of the country for a professionally guided backcountry tour over President's Day weekend. With four guides and three other people accompanying them, they glided on skis near the frozen lake and snow-capped cliffs, under the shadow of a ridge dotted with red firs and Jeffrey pines.

The biggest winter storm of the new year loomed over the picturesque mountains, meanwhile, as dire warnings from forecasters echoed on social media.

Pine trees are covered in snow during a storm in Truckee, California, on February 17, 2026. - Brooke Hess-Homeier/AP

It was the last day of a perilous backcountry odyssey. And, as predicted, the blizzard arrived, delivering blankets of unstable powder. They were headed home when the fresh snow, light and soft, suddenly descended from the slopes as one of the most ferocious forces of nature.

"Avalanche!" one of them yelled.

Within seconds, a tsunami of ice, snow and debris the size of a football field careened downhill around them, thick enough to nearly bury a house, authorities said, citing the accounts of survivors.

"It overtook them rather quickly," Nevada County Sheriff's Capt. Rusty Greene later told reporters.

The first call for help was a silent text message from an emergency beacon, mobilizing a small army of rescuers dispatched from different directions.

"Medical for avalanche in the area of Castle Peak," a voice on a fire department dispatch channel said at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday.

"Nine to ten people buried, three others attempting to dig them out," someone said in the audio as emergency responders were heard coordinating search and rescue efforts, noting no air support was available because of the storm.

An hours-long fight for survival was beginning. Some members of the group dug desperately into the snow for friends and partners as the powder began to turn into a freezing, concrete-like crust.

Six of the close friends and three guides are among the nine people killed or presumed dead in theavalanche near California's Lake Tahoe- the nation's deadliest in 45 years. Six skiers survived and were rescued.

A grueling trek to reach survivors

Sisters Liz Clabaugh and Caroline Sekar were among the dead. The others were identified by their families as Carrie Atkin, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse and Kate Vitt. A spouse of a Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue team member – who responded to the disaster – was also among those killed.

The families of the six women who perished said in a statement that they still have "many unanswered questions." The sheriff's office said it is investigating whether criminal negligence contributed to the incident.

"We are devastated beyond words," the families said. "Our focus right now is supporting our children through this incredible tragedy and honoring the lives of these extraordinary women."

Caroline Sekar (left) and Liz Clabaugh (right) are among those who died in the avalanche, their families said. - The Clabaugh family

The families asked for privacy as they grieve a "sudden and profound loss." The friends – from Idaho, the Bay Area and the nearby Truckee-Tahoe region – were "passionate, skilled skiers who cherished time together in the mountains." They had trained for the backcountry, trusted their guides and carried and were familiar with avalanche safety equipment, according to the statement.

The bodies of the eight dead skiers remain on the icy mountainside because of the treacherous conditions, the sheriff's department said. One other person is unaccounted for and presumed dead, according to Moon.

"We are heartbroken and are doing our best to care for one another and our families in the way we know these women would have wanted," the families said.

Only two members of the friends' group survived, as well as a guide and two other skiers on the tour.

In the end, one man and five women made it out, taking cover for hours under a tarp – "doing everything they can" until rescuers onsnowcatsand skies could reach them, according to Greene.

Rescuers trudged through the heavy snow, combatting gale force winds under white-out conditions and mindful that another avalanche could potentially barrel down from above, Sheriff Moon said.

Rescuers were 2 miles from the skiers when their machinery got stuck, forcing them to ski the rest of the way until they reached the avalanche site around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, the sheriff said. The survivors used avalanche beacons and iPhone Emergency SOS via satellite to text emergency services.

An emergency official communicated with a guide for more than four hours, relaying critical information to sheriff's deputies, according to Don O'Keefe, chief of law enforcement at California's Office of Emergency Services.

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Buried in an avalanche, few people are able to dig themselves out, according to experts. Within minutes, breathing creates an ice mask around the face. The snow eventually hardens like a concrete entombment.

If pulled out within 15 minutes, theUtah Avalanche Centersays, 93% of avalanche victims live. After 45 minutes, only 20% to 30% survive. Few make it after two hours under the snow.

Survivors assemble tent-pole-like probes and stick them into the snow in hopes of striking buried skiers, according to experts.

That Tuesday morning, they frantically poked through the hardening snow for their ski partners and friends. Eventually they dug out three people who were no longer alive, the sheriff said.

"Uncovering people who are deceased, that they know and probably cared about, is just horrible," Nevada County Undersheriff Sam Browntold CBS News.

A 'magical place' beset by tragedy

Kurt Gensheimer was on a three-night trip at Frog Lake Backcountry Huts and left Sunday, just hours before the moms and the other skiers arrived. They never crossed paths.

He had been there four times in the last four years and understood the pull of the dangerous yet beautiful surroundings.

"It's a magical place," Gensheimer told CNN affiliate KCRA. "It's one of the best places to backcountry ski in the country and Frog Lake Huts are the nicest amenities, possibly in North America, for backcountry skiing."

He considered the huts a safe place to ride out a storm but his group decided to leave before the blizzard.

"The discussion in the huts was, this is a big storm coming… It's going to be falling blizzard conditions. You either should get out by Monday or plan to be there till Thursday, Friday," Gensheimer said.

The tour company that organized the ill-fated trip, Blackbird Mountain Guides, said the tour leaderswere highly trainedand certified in avalanche education.

A California Highway Patrol helicopter lifts off from a field after a mission with a search and rescue crew in Truckee, California, on February 20, 2026. - Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

It was also aware of the avalanche danger.

On Sunday morning, the same day the group embarked on their journey, the company warned on Facebook of a big snow storm approaching and urged skiers to monitor to the Sierra Avalanche Center and "use extra caution this week!"

That morning, the Sierra Avalanche Center issued anavalanche watchthat was elevated to awarning at 5 a.m. on Tuesday: "HIGH avalanche danger exists in the backcountry.

The most dangerous time for avalanches is after a rapid snowfall, according to experts. Tuesday's avalanche wasclassifiedas a D2.5 on a five-level scale that measures the destructive potential of moving debris, according to Moon.

The allure of backcountry skiing endures despite the risks.

Nate Greenberg, who lives in the Eastern Sierra Mountains and said he survived an avalanche in 2021, advised against rushing to judgment. Backcountry skiing, he said, involves multiple "micro decisions."

Ian McCammon, an engineer and avalanche researcher, also stressed the difficult decision making process on the slopes.

"There's usually a lot more than meets the eye to those accidents," McCammon told CNN. "Once you start getting into the specifics, you start understanding. It's easy to say that the people are foolish, or it's easy to say that people have taken a lot of risks, but sometimes they're in situations where it's not obvious to see how they came to the decision that they did."

Sara Boilen, a clinical psychologist and backcountry skier in Montana who specializes on human factors in avalanche terrain, said: "We're all desperate to understand what happened."

"As a researcher, I want to understand so that we can deepen our sense of what is hard about decision making in the backcountry," she told CNN. "As an educator, I want to understand so I can help others learn. As a backcountry user, I want to strengthen my own decision making by learning from others. And as a human I want answers - how could something like this happen? And we may never get all of the answers. That's the thing about a wicked learning environment."

She added, "Imagine losing somebody you love and simultaneously losing the relationship you have to the place you go to feel better. So, when you lose somebody in an avalanche and the mountains are the place that you feel most whole, most alive, it's where you go for healing, what do you do?"

CNN's Nouran Salahieh, Elizabeth Wolfe, Chris Boyette, Cindy Von Quednow, Alisha Ebrahimji, Chris Dolce, Mary Gilbert, Martin Goillandeau, Chimaine Pouteau, Stephanie Elam, Diego Mendoza, Karina Tsui, Danya Gainor, Briana Waxman, Andi Babineau and Brad Parks contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

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As measles outbreaks grow, Florida grad student describes 'full-body rash' and trip to ER

February 21, 2026
As measles outbreaks grow, Florida grad student describes 'full-body rash' and trip to ER

The U.S. has officially logged982 measles cases in 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. It's more than four times the number of cases as this time last year, when alarge outbreak was just beginning in West Texas.

NBC Universal A young man holds a thermometer to a girl's forehead as she sits in the back seat of a car. He's wearing scrubs, a mask, and rubber gloves. (The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Twenty-six states have reported cases so far this year. Large outbreaks continue to grow inUtah, Arizonaand, most notably, South Carolina, where the virus has been spreading since the fall. As of Friday, the state had reported nearly 800 cases since January, bringing the outbreak's total to 973.

It's thelargest single measles outbreakthe U.S. has seen in a generation. South Carolina state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said that at least 20 people had been hospitalized.

"These hospitalizations involve both adults and children," Bell said during a call with reporters on Wednesday. "Additional cases required medical care for measles but were not hospitalized."

A sign reads DO NOT ENTER with graphic illustrations of people experiencing illness.  (Sean Rayford / Getty Images)

According to the CDC, more than 1 in 10 measles cases in 2025 resulted in hospitalization. Most of those were children and teenagers.

In Florida, cases are also rising: The state's health department has reported 92 cases since the beginning of the year. Sixty-six of those cases are in Collier County, and largely clustered at Ave Maria University, near Naples.

Graduate student Blaise Carney toldNBC affiliate station WBBHthat he was one of the first on campus to get sick last month.

"It started with an ear infection," Carney said. "And then it proceeded with sniffles, sore throat and all the rest. And then I just progressively got worse, until I was in the ER and had a full-body rash."

Carney said he was diagnosed with measles and strep throat at the same time and got intravenous fluids in the ER. He didn't need to be admitted to the hospital, and instead isolated himself in his dorm, where he said he stayed in bed for a week.

Carney said he had been vaccinated against the virus as a child.

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Two doses of measles vaccine — one given around age 1 and the second around age 5 — are97% effective in preventing measles, usually for life, according to the CDC. That means that 3% of people can get measles even after vaccination.

Despite his illness, Carney said, the statistics overwhelmingly favor the shots.

"If you're not vaccinated, go ahead and get vaccinated," he said. "It might not protect you 100%, but it's your best shot."

The vast majority of measles cases are among unvaccinated people.

Though most people recover, some developlong-term health problemsafter their telltale rash clears. The virus targets cells that play key roles in a person's immune system, leaving them vulnerable to subsequent illnesses.

In rare cases, people can go on to develop dangerous brain inflammation seven to 10 years after a measles infection. The condition, called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, or SSPE, is almost always fatal.

On Saturday, doctors at Children's Hospital of Orange County in California described the details of one casein the New England Journal of Medicine.

It involved a 7-year-old boy who went to the hospital following several months of seizures and cognitive problems that were progressively getting worse.

The boy had gotten measles as an infant while living in Afghanistan, where the virushas not been eliminated. (The U.S. couldlose its elimination statusas soon as this year as vaccination rates fall and the virus regains a foothold.)

Doctors wrote that when the boy arrived at the hospital, he couldn't speak and his body's muscle reflexes weren't working normally — signs of significant neurological problems. He was diagnosed with SSPE. Within a year of his first symptoms, he died.

Before measles was eliminated in the U.S., the CDC estimated that7 to 11 people out of every 100,000 were at risk for SSPE. That risk may be higher in people infected with measles before their second birthday.

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Injured Canada captain Sidney Crosby's status uncertain for the Olympic gold medal game

February 21, 2026
Injured Canada captain Sidney Crosby's status uncertain for the Olympic gold medal game

MILAN (AP) — Canada has not decided whether injured captain Sidney Crosby will play inthe gold medal gameat the Olympicsagainst the U.S.on Sunday, coach Jon Cooper said Saturday.

Associated Press Canada's Sidney Crosby (87) is led away from the ice after being injured during the second period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Canada and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Canada's Sidney Crosby (87) is attended to after being injured during the second period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Canada and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Canada's Sidney Crosby (87) is helped as he leaves the bench after being checked against the boards during the second period of a men's ice hockey quarterfinal game between Canada and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Ice Hockey

Crosby skated in practice, which was closed to reporters to maintain ashroud of secrecyaround the status of the 38-year-old center who is the most decorated player on the team with two Olympic gold medals and three Stanley Cup rings and was a key contributor before getting hurt.

"Obviously we'd love to have him," Cooper said. "He won't put himself in harm's way, and he's not going to put the team in harm's way."

Crosby leftthe quarterfinal game Wednesday night against Czechia with an apparent right knee injury and did not playagainst Finlandon Friday night in the semifinals.Connor McDavid wore the "C"in Crosby's absence and assisted on Nathan MacKinnon's go-ahead goal with 35.2 seconds remaining.

International rules allow teams to dress 13 forwards instead of the 12 permitted in the NHL, but Cooper cast doubt on the possibility of Crosby being in uniform just to fill a limited role.

"No. No, it's too important," Cooper said. "We don't want to have somebody in there as an inspiration when we could have a player that could be capable of helping. You never know if guys are going to get hurt in the game. He wouldn't want to do that, either."

Cooper pointed to two of his players with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli, who were chosen for the roster but stayed home because they were not healthy enough to be a bigger help than their replacements. Injured defenseman Josh Morrissey has been ruled out.

"When it comes to the flag, nobody's getting in the way," Cooper said. "If they're not capable of giving what they think is optimal effort, they don't want to put the country at harm. They understand what we have here."

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Canada rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat Finland, motivated in part by giving Crosby a chance to play one more game at what could be his final Olympics.

"We've done that, and we'll see," McDavid said. "He's been around a lot. Obviously, he's been extremely positive: still contributing, even though he didn't play last game, but still being the leader he is."

Nick Suzuki, who moved into the spot playing between Mitch Marner and Mark Stone, figures to be there again in the final if Crosby is unavailable. Suzuki said Crosby "looked really good out there on the ice" and hopes the well-respected captain will be good enough to go.

"It'd mean a lot to him and probably us," Suzuki said. "He's such a big leader, big voice. Everyone looks up to him. It'd be awesome if he could play."

Mike Sullivan, who coached the Pittsburgh Penguins when they won the Stanley Cup back to back with Crosby as captain in 2016 and '17, is now behind the bench for the U.S. and does not expect his game plan to change either way.

"Sid's a tremendous player," Sullivan said. "The focus that we have is on our own team game and trying to play the game that we think sets us up for success, regardless of who our opponent is, or who's in their lineup or not."

The U.S. got an injury scare in the semifinals against Slovakia when winger Tage Thompson left after blocking a shot. Thompson, who is tied for the team lead in goals with three, practiced Saturday and did not look to be hampered at all.

AP Winter Olympics:https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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Bill Mazeroski, Pirates Hall of Famer and 1960 World Series hero, dies at 89

February 21, 2026
Bill Mazeroski, Pirates Hall of Famer and 1960 World Series hero, dies at 89

Hall of Fame second baseman Bill Mazeroski died at the age of 89, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Saturday. He passed away on Friday, according to the team.

Yahoo Sports

Mazeroski is best known for arguably the most legendary home run in baseball history, hitting a walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series against the New York Yankees. Leading off the ninth inning, the homer came off reliever Ralph Terry, breaking a 9-9 tie, at Forbes Field.

As Mazeroski rounded the bases, fans ran out of the stands to congratulate Mazeroski and round the bases with him in celebration. He was 24 years old at the time, in his fifth year with Pittsburgh. No other player has ended a World Series with a Game 7 home run.

Responsible for an iconic moment in the sport, Mazeroski was remarkably modest about his accomplishment.

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"I just thought it was another home run to win a ballgame and would never last 40 years," he said in 2000,via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

"I didn't expect that much attention, just hitting a home run to win a game," he continued. "I don't know. I just kind of wish maybe somebody else had hit it, or explained it better than I did. I just never came up with a good way."

Mazeroski later explained that he wasn't certain that he hit a home run because the left-field wall at Forbes Field was 406 feet away from home plate in the alley.

"I don't know it's out. I don't know it's a home run. But I know I'm going to end up on third if he misplays that ball off the wall," Mazeroski said in 2015,via MLB.com. "So I'm busting my tail getting around there, and by the time I hit second base, I looked down the line and the fans went crazy. From second base, I didn't touch the ground all the way in."

Mazeroski won two World Series titles with the Pirates, also playing on the 1971 champions that defeated the Baltimore Orioles in seven games. The team retired his No. 9 in 1987 and honored him with a 14-foot bronze statue outside PNC Park,unveiled in 2010.

"Maz was one of a kind — a true Pirates legend, a National Baseball Hall of Famer and one of the finest defensive second basemen the game has ever seen," said Pirates chairman Bob Nuttingin a statement.

"His name will always be tied to the biggest home run in baseball history and the 1960 World Series championship," he added. "But I will remember him most for the person he was: humble, gracious and proud to be a Pirate."

Despite being associated with one of baseball's most famous home runs, Mazeroski became a Hall of Famerbecause of his defenseat second base. He was awarded eight Gold Gloves during his career.

"I think defense belongs in the Hall of Fame," Mazeroski said duringhis Hall of Fame induction speech. "Defense deserves as much credit as pitching and hitting, and I'm proud and honored to be going into the Hall of Fame on the defensive side and mostly for my defensive abilities."

In his 17 seasons with the Pirates, Mazeroski compiled a career average of .260/.299/.367 with 294 doubles, 138 home runs and 853 RBI. In addition to his two World Series championships, Mazeroski was an 10-time All-Star. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001, elected by the Veterans Committee.

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Lewis Hamilton on F1 future: 'I'm not going anywhere'

February 21, 2026
Lewis Hamilton on F1 future: 'I'm not going anywhere'

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton feels "reset and refreshed" entering the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Field Level Media

"I'm not going anywhere, so stick with me," the 41-year-old British driver posted Saturday on Instagram.

Hamilton is coming off a disappointing debut season with Ferrari, failing to reach a single podium in 2025.

The 105-time race winner sounded upbeat as testing concluded this week at Bahrain.

"That's a wrap on testing," he posted. "It's inspiring to watch a team pull out all the stops to build a car.

"It's the most fascinating part of this job for me. Everything is built from scratch and designed and redesigned over and over. And then there are only a few of us who get to put that machine to the test. That feeling never gets old.

"I want to say a huge thank you to everyone in the team back at the factory for the hard work to get to this point!! I am truly grateful.

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"I love this job so much and I love working with my team and driving for the fans. I'm incredibly lucky to be able to do what I do, and I'm excited for the season ahead."

Hamilton's 20th F1 campaign begins with the Australian Grand Prix on March 7.

He concluded his post with a promise to his supporters that this season will be different.

"For a moment, I forgot who I was, but thanks to you and your support you're not going to see that mindset again," he wrote.

"I know what needs to be done. This is going to be one hell of a season. I've given everything to be here today. Let's go team!!!"

Hamilton's last victory was the Belgian Grand Prix on July 28, 2024. His last world championship came in 2020.

--Field Level Media

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Why the Supreme Court struck down Trump's most sweeping tariffs

February 21, 2026
Why the Supreme Court struck down Trump's most sweeping tariffs

Washington —The Supreme Court on Fridayinvalidated President Trump's most sweeping tariffs, finding in a 6-3 ruling that he does not have the authority to impose the levies using an emergency powers law.

CBS News

The 6-3 decision included three liberals and three conservatives in the majority. The coalition included Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh dissented.

The six justices found that the law known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, does not give the president the power to impose tariffs.

Enacted in 1977, IEEPA authorizes the president to "regulate … importation" to deal with "any unusual and extraordinary threat" to national security, foreign policy or the U.S. economy. When he announced hismost sweeping tariffs on nearly every countrylast April, Mr. Trump invoked IEEPA to respond to what he said were "large and persistent" trade deficits. He also relied on the law tohit China, Canada and Mexico with leviesover what the president claimed was their failure to stem the flow of illicit fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S.

No president before Mr. Trump had used IEEPA to impose tariffs, and the law does not use that word or others like it, such as duty, levy or tax.

All six of the justices who were in the majority agreed that IEEPA does not give the president the power to impose levies.

"Our task today is to decide only whether the power to 'regulate … importation,' as granted to the president in IEEPA, embraces the power to impose tariffs," Roberts wrote for the majority. "It does not."

756.07 KBThe Supreme Court's decision in Learning Resources v. TrumpThe Supreme Court struck down President Trump's authority to impose broad tariffs under an emergency powers law.

The court said tariffs are different from the other authorities laid out in IEEPA and, unlike those, they "operate directly on domestic importers to raise revenue for the Treasury." The majority said that under the government's interpretation of the phrase "regulate … importation," the president could impose duties "of unlimited amount and duration, on any product from any country."

"When Congress grants the power to impose tariffs, it does so clearly and with careful constraints," Roberts wrote in a portion of his decision joined by the other five colleagues in the majority. "It did neither here."

While the six justices agreed that the president does not have the authority to impose tariffs under IEEPA, there were notable divisions over their reasoning.

Major questions doctrine

The three conservative justices — Roberts, Gorsuch and Barrett — applied what's known as the major questions doctrine, which says that broad assertions of power claimed by the executive on issues of political or economic significance must be clearly authorized by Congress.

The Supreme Court's conservative wing has relied on that doctrine in past cases testing the legality of major policies from the executive branch, including when itstruck downPresident Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan andblocked an eviction moratoriumduring the COVID-19 pandemic.

Only Gorsuch and Barrett joined the section of Roberts' opinion that invoked the major questions doctrine.

The president, Roberts wrote, "must 'point to clear congressional authorization' to justify his extraordinary assertion of power to impose tariffs. He cannot."

Congress would not be expected to "relinquish its tariff power through vague language" or without constraints, the chief justice wrote.

"When Congress has delegated its tariff powers, it has done so in explicit terms, and subject to strict limits," Roberts said.

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He also said that the economic and political consequences of the tariffs implemented under IEEPA are "astonishing."

"The Government points to projections that the tariffs will reduce the national deficit by $4 trillion, and that international agreements reached in reliance on the tariffs could be worth $15 trillion," Roberts wrote. "In the President's view, whether 'we are a rich nation' or a 'poor' one hangs in the balance. These stakes dwarf those of other major questions cases."

Statutory interpretation

On the other side of the majority, the liberal justices — Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson — agreed that IEEPA doesn't give the president the power to impose tariffs, but reached the conclusion using what Kagan said were the "ordinary tools of statutory interpretation."

"IEEPA gives the President significant authority over transactions involving foreign property, including the importation of goods. But in that generous delegation, one power is conspicuously missing," Kagan wrote in a concurring opinion joined by Sotomayor and Jackson. "Nothing in IEEPA's text, nor anything in its context, enables the President to unilaterally impose tariffs. And needless to say, without statutory authority, the President's tariffs cannot stand."

All six of the justices in the majority agreed that IEEPA is silent on the power to impose tariffs, and no president before Mr. Trump understood the law to authorize duties.

"Each president read the statutes as Congress wrote them, with IEEPA enabling him to regulate imports and Title 19 enabling him — in confined situations — to tax those foreign goods," Kagan wrote, referring to the portion of the U.S. Code that covers customs duties. "None, as far as anyone has suggested, even considered doing otherwise."

The dissenters

The principal dissent came from Kavanaugh, who wrote that the president's authority under IEEPA to "regulate … importation" encompasses tariffs. There is a long tradition of presidents imposing duties as a way of regulating importation and commerce, he said. Thomas and Alito joined his dissent.

"Like quotas and embargoes, tariffs are a traditional and common tool to regulate importation," Kavanaugh said.

He wrote that IEEPA allows the president to impose quotas or embargoes on foreign imports, which he said are more severe tools than tariffs. The law, he said, does not draw distinctions between those actions and instead "empowers the president to regulate imports during national emergencies with the tools presidents have traditionally and commonly used, including quotas, embargoes, and tariffs."

Regarding the major questions doctrine, Kavanaugh said it is satisfied in this case because the "statutory text, history and precedent constitute 'clear congressional authorization' for the president to impose levies under IEEPA." Plus, presidents throughout history have imposed tariffs as a way to "regulate … importation," he continued.

Kavanaugh also argued that the Supreme Court has never applied the major questions doctrine to matters of foreign affairs, including foreign trade.

"In foreign affairs cases, courts read the statute as written and do not employ the major questions doctrine as a thumb on the scale against the president," Kavanaugh said.

He noted, however, that the ruling may not significantly constrain a president's ability to set tariffs moving forward, since there are many other statutes that can be used to justify the tariffs at issue in the case.

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