Donald Trump tariffs get temporary reprieve from appeals court

Qatar Tribune

2 days ago

Agencies
AU.S. federal appeals court on Thursday granted President Donald Trump approval to continue collecting tariffs under an emergency powers law for now, while his administration appeals a ruling that struck down much of his flagship economic agenda.
The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted an emergency motion from the Trump administration arguing that a halt is 'critical for the country's national security.'
The short-term relief will allow for an appeals process to proceed, after the Court of International Trade on Wednesday barred most of the tariffs announced since Trump took office, ruling that he had overstepped his authority.
Trump is facing several lawsuits arguing that his 'Liberation Day' tariffs exceeded his authority and left the country's trade policy dependent on his whims.
Since returning to the presidency in January, Trump has moved to reconfigure U.S. trade ties with the world while using levies to force foreign governments to the negotiating table.
But the stop-start tariff rollout, impacting both allies and adversaries, has roiled markets and snarled supply chains.
Prior to Thursday's decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, known as an administrative stay, the White House was given 10 days to halt affected tariffs.T
he Trump administration called the ruling 'blatantly wrong,' filing an appeal and expressing confidence that the decision would be
overturned.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the judges 'brazenly abused their judicial power to usurp the authority of President Trump.' Leavitt said the Supreme Court 'must put an end' to the tariff challenge, while stressing that Trump has other legal means to impose levies.
'Hiccups' Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, told Fox Business that 'hiccups' sparked by the decisions of 'activist judges' would not affect talks with trading partners, adding that three deals are close to finalization.
Trump's trade advisor, Peter Navarro, told reporters after the appellate ruling that the administration had received 'plenty of phone calls from countries' who said they would continue to 'negotiate in good faith,' without naming those nations.
Trump's import levies are aimed at punishing economies that sell more to the United States than they buy.
The president has argued that trade deficits and the threat posed by drug smuggling constituted a 'national emergency' that justified the widespread tariffs – which the Court of International Trade ruled against.
Trump unveiled sweeping import duties on nearly all trading partners in April, at a baseline 10% – plus steeper levies on dozens of economies, including China and the EU, which have since been paused.
The U.S. trade court's Wednesday ruling quashed these blanket duties, alongside those that Trump imposed on Canada, Mexico and China separately using emergency powers.
But it left intact 25% duties on imported autos, steel and aluminum.