The conservative justice pushed back against criticism that the court is not explaining its decisions in cases that arise on the "shadow docket."

Justice Brett Kavanaugh spoke about the Supreme Court's emergency orders before a group of lawyers and judges in Kansas City, Missouri.

U.S. appeals court judges sharply questioned on Thursday whether President Donald Trump's tariffs were justified by the president's emergency powers, after a lower court said he exceeded his authority with sweeping levies on imported goods.

On the day before President Donald Trump's next set of tariff hikes is set to materialize, a federal appeals court will grapple with the big, unanswered question underpinning the president's aggressive and unprecedented trade policies.