President Trump has condemned a federal appeals court decision that rejected the administration’s claims that the president’s emergency powers justify his sweeping tariff agenda. The ruling affirmed a lower court opinion that the tariffs were not authorized under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Trump defended the steep import taxes as necessary, adding that “all tariffs are still in effect!” He argued that if these tariffs ever went away, it would be a total disaster for the country and make the United States financially weak.
The IEEPA statute authorizes a president to issue some economic sanctions to counter an “unusual and extraordinary threat” during an emergency, but it does not permit the high tariff rates, the court ruled. The ruling will not go into effect until Oct. 14, allowing the administration time to appeal. The president invoked the upcoming Labor Day holiday to appeal to supporters and signaled the administration’s plans to challenge the decision.
Trump was the first president to impose tariffs under IEEPA when he cited the emergency law earlier this year to place duties on imports from Canada, China, and Mexico, pointing to the fentanyl crisis. He later called another emergency over trade deficits between the U.S. and all foreign trading partners, creating a baseline 10 percent global tariff and announcing additional “reciprocal” tariffs for others. The White House defended the administration’s moves after the decision, saying Trump has “lawfully exercised” the tariff powers given by Congress to defend national security interests and protect the U.S. from foreign threats.
