Court Finds Trump Acted Illegally with Global “Reciprocal” Tariffs

A U.S. federal appeals court has found that Donald Trump acted illegally when he imposed his “reciprocal” tariffs on countries across the globe. The ruling strikes down his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) as an invalid legal basis for the trade policy.
In a detailed decision, the court asserted that the IEEPA does not grant the president the authority to create and implement tariff schedules. The judges ruled that Trump exceeded the powers delegated to him by Congress when he repurposed a law meant for national security sanctions into a tool for broad economic protectionism.
The verdict has created a precarious situation for U.S. trade partners. The informal agreements they made to avoid these tariffs are now based on an unlawful premise, giving them a strong case to abandon or renegotiate the terms. This could lead to a significant reshuffling of global trade relationships.
An appeal to the Supreme Court is guaranteed, which will have the final say. The case has become a major test of the separation of powers, forcing the judiciary to rule on the limits of a president’s authority to use emergency powers to achieve economic goals.