In a significant legal setback, a federal appeals court has ruled that most of President Trump’s sweeping import tariff measures were unconstitutional. The court concluded that the broad use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant unilateral presidential authority to impose such wide-ranging trade penalties without congressional approval.
Despite the court’s decision, the tariffs will remain active through mid-October, allowing the administration time to file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. President Trump criticized the ruling as politically driven and reaffirmed his intent to defend the tariffs in a higher court.
The outcome raises critical questions about the boundaries of executive power in trade policy, and it signals a potential shift toward requiring greater legislative oversight for future determinations of protective tariffs.