Latest news with #U.S.Constitution
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Prison heat lawsuit gets go-ahead
A federal judge has rejected a request by Florida corrections officials to dismiss a potential class-action lawsuit alleging the state has violated inmates' rights because of hot conditions at a prison in Miami-Dade County. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams on Wednesday issued a 30-page ruling that said inmates at Dade Correctional Institution can pursue claims under the U.S. Constitution's 8th Amendment, the Americans with Disabilities Act and a disabilities-related law known as the Rehabilitation Act. The 8th Amendment bars cruel and unusual punishment. Williams' ruling described a prison with a large number of older inmates that does not have air conditioning or adequate ventilation in dormitories or in the dining area. It also detailed heat indexes that often top 100 degrees in South Florida and said inmates are 'regularly and consistently exposed to heat indexes within the NWS (National Weather Service) danger zone during the summer months.' 'Plaintiffs further allege that the issue of excessive heat at Dade CI is exacerbated by insufficient ventilation systems,' Williams wrote. 'Plaintiffs allege that the ventilation systems in the dormitories, which were installed decades ago, have not been adequately maintained and are missing critical components, such as fans and motors.' Attorneys for three inmates filed the lawsuit in October against the state Department of Corrections, Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon and Dade Correctional Institution Warden Francisco Acosta. It seeks class-action status, though Williams has not ruled on that issue. The prison has a capacity of 1,521 inmates. The named plaintiffs are Dwayne Wilson, who was described in the lawsuit as a 66-year-old inmate with hypertension, an enlarged prostate and a burn scar over much of his body that impairs his ability to sweat; Tyrone Harris, a 54-year-old inmate who has conditions such as hypertension and asthma; and Gary Wheeler, a 65-year-old inmate who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In a December motion to dismiss the case, the state's attorneys argued, in part, that the 8th Amendment argument 'fails because the facts do not give rise to a substantial risk of serious harm to plaintiffs, nor demonstrate that Secretary Dixon or Warden Acosta has been deliberately indifferent to the conditions and risks faced by these (named) plaintiffs in particular.' 'By itself, the lack of air conditioning does not pose a substantial risk of serious harm. The deprivation required to allege an Eighth Amendment claim must be objectively 'extreme' enough to deny an inmate 'the minimal civilized measure of life's necessities.' The allegations of the complaint (the lawsuit) have not 'cleared this high bar.'' the motion said, partially quoting legal precedents. But Williams wrote that the lawsuit 'alleges a wide range of heat related injuries: heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat stroke, and death. Plaintiffs also extensively detail how excessive heat can exacerbate underlying medical conditions, in a facility where over 50 percent of all prisoners are over the age of 50. Finally, plaintiffs allege that, since 2021, extreme heat has contributed to the deaths of at least four individuals at Dade CI.' She also said that attorneys for the plaintiffs wrote to Acosta in September 2023 'detailing concerns about the extreme heat, lack of ventilation, and the serious threat of medical harm posted to the inmates based on those conditions. The court finds that the allegations plaintiffs raise about the ongoing excessive heat issues at Dade CI easily support the plausible inference that defendants were subjectively aware of the risks of heat-related harms.' The Miami-based judge also cited a report published in 2023 by the KPMG consulting firm, which had received a state contract to develop a master plan for the Department of Corrections. 'The report concluded that most FDC (Florida Department of Corrections) dormitories, including those at Dade CI, require retrofitting to comply with current ventilation standards, and that over one-third of FDC facilities were assessed to be in 'critical' or 'poor' condition,' Williams wrote. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Qatar Tribune
11 hours ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
US trade court blocks Trump's tariffs, cites he exceeded powers
Agencies A U.S. trade court blocked most of President Donald Trump's tariffs in a ruling Wednesday that found the president overstepped his authority by imposing across-the-board duties on imports from U.S. trading partners. The news boosted markets on Thursday, even as the White House appealed against the decision by 'unelected judges.' The Court of International Trade said the U.S. Constitution gives Congress exclusive authority to regulate commerce with other countries that is not overridden by the president's emergency powers to safeguard the U.S. economy. It said that the court does not read the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to confer such 'unbounded authority.' 'The court does not pass upon the wisdom or likely effectiveness of the president's use of tariffs as leverage,' a three-judge panel said in the decision to issue a permanent injunction on the blanket tariff orders issued by Trump since January. 'That use is impermissible not because it is unwise or ineffective, but because federal law does not allow it.' This opinion marks a significant setback for Trump as he bids to redraw the U.S. trade relationship with the world by forcing governments to negotiate at the table through tough new tariffs. Trump's global trade war has roiled financial markets with a stop-start rollout of import levies to punish economies that sell more to the U.S. than they buy. Trump argued that the resulting trade deficits and the threat posed by the influx of drugs constituted a 'national emergency' that justified widespread tariffs. But the three-judge Court of International Trade ruled that Trump had overstepped his authority, barring most of the restrictions announced since he took office in January. The White House slammed the ruling, arguing that 'unelected judges' have no right to weigh in on Trump's handling of the issue. 'President Trump pledged to put America first, and the administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American greatness,' Trump's spokesperson, Kush Desai, said. Attorneys for the Trump administration promptly filed to appeal against the ruling on Wednesday. One of Trump's closest White House aides, Stephen Miller, took to social media to decry a 'judicial coup' that he said was 'out of control.' Trump unveiled sweeping import duties on most trading partners on April 2, at a baseline 10% plus steeper levies on dozens of economies, including China and the European Union. The ruling also quashes duties that Trump imposed on Canada, Mexico and China separately using emergency powers. Some of the turmoil was calmed after he paused the larger tariffs for 90 days and suspended other duties, pending negotiations with individual countries and blocs. Asian markets rallied on Thursday after the ruling, while European and U.S. futures also pointed to early gains. Japan's tariffs envoy Ryosei Akazawa said as he left for a fourth round of talks in Washington that Tokyo – reeling from tariffs on cars – would study the ruling. The judges also ordered the Trump administration to issue new orders reflecting the permanent injunction within 10 days. The Trump administration, minutes later, filed a notice of appeal and questioned the authority of the court. The court invalidated with immediate effect all of Trump's orders on tariffs since January that were rooted in the IEEPA, a law meant to address 'unusual and extraordinary' threats during a national emergency. The court was not asked to address some industry-specific tariffs Trump has issued on automobiles, steel and aluminum, using a different statute. The decisions of the Manhattan-based Court of International Trade, which hears disputes involving international trade and customs laws, can be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., and ultimately the U.S. Supreme Court. The federal trade court ruled in two separate cases – brought by businesses and a coalition of state governments – arguing that the president had violated Congress's power of the purse. 'The question in the two cases before the court is whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) delegates these powers to the president in the form of authority to impose unlimited tariffs on goods from nearly every country in the world,' the three-judge panel wrote in an unsigned opinion. 'The court does not read IEEPA to confer such unbounded authority and sets aside the challenged tariffs imposed thereunder.' The court, which adjudicates civil cases arising from trade disputes, said that any interpretation of the IEEPA that 'delegates unlimited tariff authority is unconstitutional,' according to court documents. The IEEPA authorizes the president to impose necessary economic sanctions during an emergency 'to combat an unusual and extraordinary threat,' the bench ruling gave the White House 10 days to complete the bureaucratic process of halting the tariffs. Gregory W. Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the ruling confirmed that 'these tariffs are an illegal abuse of executive power.' 'Trump's declaration of a bogus national emergency to justify his global trade war was an absurd and unlawful use of IEEPA,' he said. The Justice Department has defended Trump's trade strategy in court, insisting that the judiciary has very limited authority over his actions and sparking criticism that the White House was attempting to usurp the power of the other branches of government. Trump has claimed that Americans will reap the benefits of his trade posture, pointing to early successes in deals struck with the U.K. and with China, the world's second-largest economy. However, analysts warned that the cost of the tariffs will likely be passed on to U.S. consumers, raising inflation and potentially leading the U.S. central bank to hold interest rates higher for longer, further affecting financial markets. Companies of all sizes have been whipsawed by Trump's swift imposition of tariffs and sudden reversals as they seek to manage supply chains, production, staffing and prices. If it stands, the ruling blows a giant hole through Trump's strategy to use steep tariffs to wring concessions from trading partners. It creates deep uncertainty around multiple simultaneous negotiations with the EU, China and many other countries. However, analysts at Goldman Sachs noted the order does not block sector-specific levies and there were other legal avenues for Trump to impose across-the-board and country-specific tariffs.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rise Gold Announces Closing of Second Sale of Industrial Land and Paying Off the Secured Debt
Grass Valley, California--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2025) - Rise Gold Corp. (CSE: RISE) (OTCQB: RYES) (the "Company") announces it has closed the second sale agreement of land for a sale price of $2.5 million. On November 27, 2024, Rise announced the sale of 66 acres of industrial land located adjacent to the Company's Idaho-Maryland Mine Property (the "I-M Mine Property") for $4.3 million to an arm's length third party in two transactions. The first of these transactions covered 16 acres of land for total consideration of $1.8 million, including $900,000 at closing, minus certain transaction fees, and an additional $900,000 due on November 27, 2026. Rise negotiated a discounted, accelerated payment with the purchaser whereby the Company received $702,000 on January 15, 2025 in lieu of the payment due in 2026. The second sale agreement covered 50 acres of land for a total sale price of $2.5 million and this transaction closed on May 27, 2025, with half of the sale price paid on closing and the other half due on May 27, 2027. Commencing on the closing date, the buyer will pay monthly interest at an annual rate of 5% per year on the balance of the purchase price until it is paid in full. A portion of the proceeds totaling $680,000 was allocated to pay off the remaining balance of the Company's secured debt, and the balance of the funds is available to the Company to support operations and its legal claims against Nevada County ("the County"). Rise and the purchaser have also executed an option agreement whereby the Company may repurchase the 66 acres of land being sold for the sale price plus the cost of any capital improvements plus an increase of five percent per year on the condition that Rise acquires final government approval to perform mining operations at the I-M Mine Property. The Company retains ownership of the I-M Mine Property, which is comprised of 53 acres of land surrounding the New Brunswick shaft, as well as its nearby 56-acre Centennial property, and it retains all of its 2,585 acres of mineral rights. As previously disclosed in its press release dated May 13, 2024, the Company has submitted a Writ of Mandamus (the "Writ") to the Superior Court of California for the County of Nevada (the "Court") asking the Court to compel the Board of Supervisors of Nevada County to follow applicable law and grant Rise recognition of its constitutionally-protected, grandfathered vested right to operate the Mine. Rise's litigation attorneys at Cooper & Kirk have advised the Company that should the Writ be unsuccessful, Rise's mineral estate will lose all value, which will allow Rise to bring a takings action in federal court against the County under the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The remedy for an unconstitutional taking is the payment of just compensation, which is the fair market value of the property taken. Based on comparable mines and historic yields at the I-M Mine, management believes the fair market value of Rise's mineral estate is at least $400 million. About Rise Gold Corp. Rise Gold is an exploration-stage mining company incorporated in Nevada, USA. The Company's principal asset is the historic past-producing Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine located in Nevada County, California, USA. On behalf of the Board of Directors: Joseph MullinPresident and CEORise Gold Corp. For further information, please contact: RISE GOLD CORP.345 Crown Point Circle, Suite 600Grass Valley, CA 95945T: 917.349.0060jmullin@ The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors including, without limitation, obtaining all necessary approvals, meeting expenditure and financing requirements, compliance with environmental regulations, title matters, operating hazards, metal prices, political and economic factors, competitive factors, general economic conditions, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological change, industry practices, and one-time events that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information contained in this release. Rise undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
The Hill
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Hill
White House rages after courts block tariffs
Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here THE WHITE HOUSE ON THURSDAY raged against two federal courts that blocked most of President Trump's tariffs, urging the Supreme Court to intervene and promising to overturn a decision the administration described as 'judicial overreach.' Press secretary Karoline Leavitt read from a lengthy opening statement at her press briefing, saying the courts had 'brazenly abused their judicial power to usurp the authority' of the president. 'These judges failed to acknowledge that the president of the United States has core foreign affairs powers given to him by Congress to protect the U.S. economy and national security,' Leavitt said. 'The courts should have no role here,' she added. It's been a whirlwind 24 hours for Trump's tariffs in the courts. Late Wednesday, three judges on the U.S. Court of International Trade — including a Trump appointee — unanimously blocked most of Trump's announced tariffs dating back to February. Shortly before Leavitt took the podium Thursday, a second federal court followed suit, ruling that the president cannot claim unilateral authority to impose tariffs by declaring emergencies over trade deficits and fentanyl. On Thursday afternoon, a federal appeals court lifted the first of the two rulings blocking the tariffs, handing Trump a temporary win. However, most of the tariffs remain blocked under the ruling by the federal judge in Washington, D.C. Leavitt argued the executive branch has the authority to levy tariffs for national emergencies, which she says includes national security concerns stemming from trade imbalances. 'America cannot function safely long-term if we are unable to scale domestic manufacturing capacity, have our own secure industrial supply chains, and if our own defense industrial base is dependent on foreign adversaries,' she said. The U.S. Constitution says 'the Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises.' Constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley, who has criticized the courts for overreach on some Trump actions, called the trade court's ruling a 'well-reasoned and good-faith decision,' but said it should have issued a stay pending appeal. 'These are difficult issues, and we need to tamp down the rhetoric,' Turley wrote. 'These judges are not the enemy. Neither is Trump. Trump is trying to use every possible law to achieve historic reforms. These judges are trying to guarantee that such priorities do not take precedence over the rule of law.' WHAT'S NEXT The Trump administration filed emergency appeals and is hoping the high court steps in. 'The Supreme Court must put an end to this for the sake of our Constitution and our country,' Leavitt said. Leavitt said the U.S. would continue to negotiate new trade deals. 'As far as we're concerned, our trade agenda is moving forward and we've already heard from countries around the world today who will continue to negotiate in good faith,' she said. Not all of Trump's tariffs have been blocked. Here's a rundown of those that remain in place. MEANWHILE… Trump met with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell at the White House on Thursday afternoon amid longstanding tensions between the two. The president has called Powell a 'fool' and pressured the central bank chief to lower interest rates. Powell has steadfastly refused, citing concerns the trade war would lead to runaway inflation. RUBIO SHAKES UP STATE Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday he's notified Congress of his intent to reorganize the State Department, saying he'd be streamlining the department to make it 'more agile.' 'Since my first day as Secretary, I have said that this Department must move at the speed of relevancy,' Rubio said in a statement. 'The reorganization plan will result in a more agile Department, better equipped to promote America's interests and keep Americans safe across the world.' Fox News reported that Rubio intends will cut or consolidate more than 300 offices and 3,400 jobs. The Hill's Julia Mueller writes: 'The proposed organizational chart reflects the Trump administration's gutting of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), of which Rubio was made acting administrator as changes were implemented, as well as plans to eliminate the State Department's bureau focused on democracy and human rights, replacing it with an Office of the Coordinator for Foreign Assistance and Humanitarian Affairs.' Rubio also announced the U.S. would 'aggressively revoke visas' from Chinese students, including 'those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.' The State Department and Department of Homeland Security will also 'revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong,' Rubio said. Separately, a federal judge in Boston issued a preliminary injunction to block the Trump administration's directive to strip Harvard University of its ability to admit international students. 💡Perspectives: • The Hill: Trump's tariff house of cards collapses. • The Economist: Pausing foreign applications to universities is terrible. • Vox: What happens when Harvard can't be Harvard. • The Hill: Time is not on Russia's side in Ukraine. • CNN: Trump's Russia-Ukraine deal is always two weeks away. Read more: • Court blocks Trump tariffs: 5 takeaways. • Tariff court ruling throws wrench into companies' trade strategies. • Fed minutes show rising unemployment, stagflationary risks. • Trump gives clemency to over 20 people, including political allies. • What to know as Trump ramps up his student visa crackdown. The Trump administration submitted a ceasefire proposal supported by Israel to Hamas in the hopes of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza. The Department of Health and Human Services is canceling hundreds of millions of dollars in funding pledged to Moderna to help the company develop, test and license mRNA-based vaccines to combat pandemic flu viruses, including bird flu in humans. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino says he'll release a video showing that no one else was around when convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in a prison cell in 2019. © AP Photo/Evan Vucci Elon Musk marked the end of his status as a special government employee Thursday by thanking President Trump for the opportunity and venting frustration at Congress for not doing more to address government spending. 'I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,' Musk posted on X. 'The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.' However, in a snippet from an interview set to air this weekend on 'CBS Sunday Morning,' Musk said he was 'disappointed' with the House GOP's spending bill, which he said 'increases the deficit' and 'undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.' Musk took another swing at the bill Thursday, saying it moves too quickly to phase out Biden-era low-carbon energy tax credits. Musk's remarks capture some of the discontent among fiscal hawks in Washington, who believe the House-passed 'big, beautiful bill' will explode the deficit over the next decade. 'This bill isn't a done deal yet,' Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) posted on X. 'There's still time to fix it. The Senate version will be more aggressive. It can, it must, and it will be or it won't pass.' The White House doesn't want to hear it. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday demanded Senate Republicans 'maintain the momentum and quickly pass' the bill. She denied it would add to the deficit, saying forecasts from the Congressional Budget Office can't be trusted because they fail to account for the economic growth she says the bill will spur. 'Senate Republicans must get this bill passed,' Leavitt said. 'Failure is not an option. The American people are counting on us, on Republicans to deliver.' As the face of the administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk set out to find $1 trillion in waste, fraud and abuse. DOGE's website claims to have saved taxpayers $175 billion so far, although their work will continue without Musk. The White House is sending Congress a package to claw back $9.4 billion next week, which will take aim at funding for NPR, PBS and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). DOGE dismantled several agencies, including USAID, but many of their actions have been blocked by the courts. And Musk's businesses took a hit over his polarizing political activity, punctuated by incidents of vandalism targeting Tesla vehicles and dealerships. Musk says he's finished spending money on politics for now. He's cut a lower profile in recent weeks, a stark departure from his early antics, such as when he wielded a chainsaw while wearing sunglasses indoors at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Conservatives celebrated Musk's disruption of the government and thanked him for his work. 'I think the American people ought to be saying to Elon, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. He came and spent four months working for the American people free of charge,' Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told Fox News's Sean Hannity. 'Didn't collect a salary, made nothing. He rooted out massive waste, fraud and abuse, and he did so at enormous cost to himself.' The Hill's Brett Samuels recaps seven memorable moments from Musk's tenure at the White House. 💡Perspectives: • The Hill: America has a billionaire problem and needs a wealth tax. • Financial Times: Finance is ready for a blockchain reset. • UnHerd: Peter Thiel's visions of apocalypse. © Greg Nash Frustrations over aging leadership and electoral outcomes has some Democrats advocating for a new generation of leaders. Is there evidence of a youth movement starting to taking shape? Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), 85, has pulled a primary challenger who is making age the centerpiece of his campaign. Volunteer firefighter and former 'Jeopardy!' contestant Harry Jarin, 35, will challenge Hoyer, the former House majority leader. In a statement, Jarin said Hoyer 'represents a bygone era of politics that isn't working' and that congressional seats should not be treated as 'lifetime appointments.' 'I've seen from the inside how the Democratic Party has totally lost touch with working people,' Jarin said. 'We didn't present a vision of the future or politicians that people could relate to, and that's what opened the door for Trump and extremist Republicans to take power.' 'Politicians in their late 80s like Steny Hoyer simply don't know how to communicate in the era of social media,' he continued. 'Democrats have to recognize how badly we've failed and change course if we want to win.' Hoyer, who was first elected in 1981, has not said whether he'll seek reelection next year. MEANWHILE… Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), 47, will run to be the next ranking member on the powerful House Oversight Committee, seeking to replace former Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who died of cancer last week at the age of 75. 'I'm ready to help lead that fight … [and] to ensure we hold those in power accountable and protect democracy for the next generation,' Garcia told Axios. Connolly, who is the third House Democrat to die this year, defeated Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to be the top Democrat on Oversight earlier this year. Reps. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), 70, Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), 77, and Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), 44, have also expressed interest in the leadership position. ELSEWHERE… Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) says he has a simple solution to Democratic woes with male voters amid reports the party will spend $20 million to study their failings with men. 'While men were struggling — losing jobs and self-respect — too many politicians made it seem like being a man was easy,' Khanna posted on X. 'We ignored their challenges and made them fear being 'canceled' for saying the wrong thing. I don't need a $20 million study to know that's wrong.' 💡Perspectives: • The Liberal Patriot: Hispanic moderates' big swing right. • The American Prospect: What do Dems need to do to win back voter trust? • The Hill: Trump can't blame Biden forever. • Silver Bulletin: Turnout didn't cost Harris the election. Read more: • White House attacks Jill Biden over Joe Biden health 'cover-up'. • Comer 'open' to bringing Biden in for hearing. • Democratic anxiety rises amid Biden revelations, losses to Trump. Someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up to get your own copy: See you next time!
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trade court blocks President Trump's tariffs, ruling they exceed legal authority
A federal court ruled President Donald Trump can't use an emergency-powers law to impose tariffs on foreign countries, dealing a blow to his trade agenda. The three-judge panel of the United States Court of International Trade unanimously found that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, which Trump invoked to unilaterally enact duties on foreign goods, "does not authorize" the tariffs and ordered them halted. The ruling notes that the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the authority to "regulate commerce with foreign nations." "The question... is whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act... delegates these powers to the President in the form of authority to impose unlimited tariffs on goods from nearly every country in the world," the ruling added. "The court does not read IEEPA to confer such unbounded authority and sets aside the challenged tariffs." The Trump administration filed a notice of appeal minutes after the ruling. Tariffs are a centerpiece of Trump's second-term economic agenda. The president has imposed steep levies on goods from foreign countries, igniting international furor and disrupting the global economy. Trump announced big reciprocal tariffs on a slew of nations last month. He later paused most of them while he negotiated trade deals. In imposing the tariffs in early April, Trump called the trade deficit a national emergency that justified his 10% across-the-board tariff on all imports, with higher rates for countries with which the United States has the largest trade deficits, particularly China. "It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency," White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement. "President Trump pledged to put America First, and the Administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American Greatness." The trade court ruling is a setback for Trump's efforts to wield tariffs as an economic tool. It came in a pair of lawsuits, one filed by the nonpartisan Liberty Justice Center on behalf of five small U.S. businesses that import goods from countries targeted by the duties and the other by 13 U.S. states. The companies, which range from a New York wine and spirits importer to a Virginia-based maker of educational kits and musical instruments, have said that the tariffs will hurt their ability to do business. Trump Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller wrote on social media in response to the ruling that "the judicial coup is out of control." Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, a Democrat whose office is leading the lawsuit by 13 U.S. states, called Trump's tariffs unlawful, reckless, and economically devastating. "This ruling reaffirms that our laws matter, and that trade decisions can't be made on the president's whim," Rayfield said in a statement. Trump has claimed broad authority to set tariffs under the IEEPA, which is meant to address "unusual and extraordinary" threats during a national emergency. More: How Trump's clash with the courts is brewing into an 'all-out war' The law has historically been used to impose sanctions on enemies of the United States or freeze their assets. Trump is the first U.S. president to use it to impose tariffs. The Justice Department has said the lawsuits should be dismissed because the plaintiffs have not been harmed by tariffs that they have not yet paid, and because only Congress, not private businesses, can challenge a national emergency declared by the president under IEEPA. The Court of International Trade is a specialized federal court based in New York City with nationwide jurisdiction. Its rulings can be appealed up to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and, eventually, to the Supreme Court. Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trade court blocks President Donald Trump's tariffs
