Who is Neal Katyal — the Indian-origin lawyer behind Trump's tariff setback in US Supreme Court

At the centre of this landmark ruling stood an Indian-origin lawyer whose courtroom arguments proved decisive in dismantling Trump’s trade strategy.

That lawyer is Neal Katyal, a former Acting Solicitor General of the United States under Barack Obama, who represented a group of small American businesses challenging the legality of the tariffs.

The verdict, passed by a 6–3 majority, has triggered sharp political reactions and reinforced constitutional limits on presidential power.

The judgment from the US Supreme Court ruled that the president does not possess unilateral authority to impose sweeping tariffs without congressional approval.

'Complete and total victory'

The decision effectively dismantled a core element of Trump’s economic agenda and reaffirmed Congress’s exclusive power over taxation.

Following the ruling, Katyal described the outcome as a “complete and total victory,” stating that the verdict sent a clear constitutional message.

He emphasised that while presidents wield immense authority, the Constitution ultimately remains supreme.

“Only Congress can impose taxes on the American people,” Katyal said, underlining the court’s rejection of executive overreach.

A setback made sharper by Trump’s own appointees

The blow proved particularly stinging for Trump as two of the three judges he personally appointed to the Supreme Court voted against his administration’s position.

Katyal later highlighted this detail, noting that the ruling transcended partisan loyalties and rested firmly on constitutional interpretation.

The outcome has reportedly left Trump angered, even as he publicly suggested he still had alternative tariff strategies under consideration.

Who is Neal Katyal?

Born on March 12, 1970, in Chicago to Indian immigrant parents, Neal Katyal has long been regarded as one of the sharpest legal minds in the United States.

His mother, Pratibha, was a doctor, while his father, Surender, worked as an engineer.

Katyal graduated from Dartmouth College before earning his law degree from Yale Law School.

His expertise in constitutional and national security law soon brought him to the attention of Justice Stephen Breyer, for whom he served as a law clerk at the Supreme Court.

Record-breaking tenure as Acting Solicitor General

Katyal’s national prominence grew substantially in 2010 when President Barack Obama appointed him Acting Solicitor General.

During his tenure, he argued more than 50 cases before the Supreme Court — a record for the most cases argued by a minority lawyer at the time.

This achievement surpassed the earlier benchmark set by Thurgood Marshall, who later became the first African-American justice of the Supreme Court.

High-profile legal battles and academic influence

Over the years, Katyal has been involved in some of the most significant constitutional cases in recent American history.

These include defending the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and challenging Trump’s controversial 2017 travel ban, although the latter was ultimately upheld by the court.

Indian-American lawyer Neal Katyal was the Acting Solicitor General of the US under Barack Obama. Photo: X/@neal_katyal

His legal work earned him the US Justice Department’s highest civilian honour, the Edmund Randolph Award, in 2011.

More recently, he was listed among Forbes’ top 200 lawyers in the United States in both 2024 and 2025.

Beyond the courtroom, Katyal remains deeply embedded in legal academia.

He serves as a professor at Georgetown University Law Centre and has been a visiting professor at Harvard and Yale.

He is also the author of Impeach: The Case Against Donald Trump, published in 2019.

Tariff verdict elevates Katyal’s legal standing

The Supreme Court’s latest ruling has not only punctured Trump’s tariff ambitions but also further cemented Katyal’s reputation as a formidable constitutional lawyer.

Currently a partner at Milbank LLP, Katyal continues to play a prominent role in shaping high-stakes legal battles.

His victory has also resonated strongly in India, where political commentators have highlighted his role in overturning what they described as unlawfully imposed tariffs.

While Trump has indicated that further trade measures could follow, the ruling marks a defining moment in the ongoing legal and political contest over executive power.