Noel King

That's ahead on Today Explained.

That's ahead on Today Explained.

Ian Millhiser covers the Supreme Court for Vox, and he has written two books about the Supremes. All right, Ian, so this week there is a small court hearing a very big case. Are President Trump's tariffs legal? Tell us what's going on.

Ian Millhiser covers the Supreme Court for Vox, and he has written two books about the Supremes. All right, Ian, so this week there is a small court hearing a very big case. Are President Trump's tariffs legal? Tell us what's going on.

Ian Millhiser covers the Supreme Court for Vox, and he has written two books about the Supremes. All right, Ian, so this week there is a small court hearing a very big case. Are President Trump's tariffs legal? Tell us what's going on.

Who are the plaintiffs in this case? Who is suing Trump?

Who are the plaintiffs in this case? Who is suing Trump?

Who are the plaintiffs in this case? Who is suing Trump?

And what is the government's defense of the tariffs, as you heard it yesterday?

And what is the government's defense of the tariffs, as you heard it yesterday?

And what is the government's defense of the tariffs, as you heard it yesterday?

OK, so we have three judges, as I understand it, bipartisan. This is not a court that typically gets a ton of attention, right? This is it's not the Supremes. Right. What vibe were you getting from them yesterday? Do you get the sense that they seem to favor either the government's argument or the argument that the plaintiffs are making?

OK, so we have three judges, as I understand it, bipartisan. This is not a court that typically gets a ton of attention, right? This is it's not the Supremes. Right. What vibe were you getting from them yesterday? Do you get the sense that they seem to favor either the government's argument or the argument that the plaintiffs are making?

OK, so we have three judges, as I understand it, bipartisan. This is not a court that typically gets a ton of attention, right? This is it's not the Supremes. Right. What vibe were you getting from them yesterday? Do you get the sense that they seem to favor either the government's argument or the argument that the plaintiffs are making?

Ian, in the second half of the show, we're going to be talking about the frequency with which President Trump has said he must do something because it's an emergency. He's got to do tariffs because it's an emergency. Some of the moves on immigration because it's an emergency. If this court rebukes the president on tariffs and says, hey, you called it an emergency, but we don't think it is.

Ian, in the second half of the show, we're going to be talking about the frequency with which President Trump has said he must do something because it's an emergency. He's got to do tariffs because it's an emergency. Some of the moves on immigration because it's an emergency. If this court rebukes the president on tariffs and says, hey, you called it an emergency, but we don't think it is.

Ian, in the second half of the show, we're going to be talking about the frequency with which President Trump has said he must do something because it's an emergency. He's got to do tariffs because it's an emergency. Some of the moves on immigration because it's an emergency. If this court rebukes the president on tariffs and says, hey, you called it an emergency, but we don't think it is.

Does that mean that we might be looking at a near future in which courts are far more skeptical of the president using it's an emergency as an excuse to do what he wants?

Does that mean that we might be looking at a near future in which courts are far more skeptical of the president using it's an emergency as an excuse to do what he wants?

Does that mean that we might be looking at a near future in which courts are far more skeptical of the president using it's an emergency as an excuse to do what he wants?