This afternoon, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit struck down most of President Trump’s tariffs, saying that his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IIEPA) to impose them was illegal. The decision blocks Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs that were imposed in April, as well as a separate set of tariffs imposed in February against China, Canada, and Mexico. The court’s decision does not impact tariffs used under other legal authorities, such as the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. In its decision, the court said that the IEEPA “bestows significant authority on the President to undertake a number of actions in response to a declared national emergency, but none of these actions explicitly include the power to impose tariffs, duties, or the like, or the power to tax.” The decision could next be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
