A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled President Donald Trump’s global tariffs illegal, stating they exceeded the limits of his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The judges declared the tariffs “ultra vires and contrary to law,” emphasizing that IEEPA does not grant the president unchecked power to impose tariffs. They reaffirmed that Congress holds primary constitutional authority over tariffs, and Trump’s actions lacked the required “unusual and extraordinary threat” justification. In response, the White House defended the tariffs, calling the ruling an overreach, and filed an appeal to challenge the court’s decision.
The case now heads to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit where they can ask for a stay of the order.
The Court of International Trade issued the decision across two cases — one filed by a group of small businesses and another filed by 12 Democratic attorneys general.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford called the ruling “a win for the rule of law and for Nevadans’ pocketbooks.”
“I am extremely pleased with the court’s decision to strike down these tariffs; they were both unlawful and economically destructive,” he said. “The president had no legal authority to impose these tariffs, and his unlawful actions would have caused billions of dollars of damage to the American economy.”
