JUST IN: Federal Court Delivers MAJOR Setback To President Trump’s Trade Policy

The U.S. Court of International Trade has just blocked President Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs from going into effect.

On April 2nd, President Trump had announced tariffs on just about every country in the world, in a move designed to bring back American manufacturing.

NEWS: A federal court just invalidated Trump’s ”Liberation Day" tariffs, ruling he exceeded his authority under IEEPA. The court said Trump can’t bypass Congress to set trade policy and that these tariffs are unconstitutional and void. pic.twitter.com/MaAQSOoub9

— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) May 28, 2025

Now, the federal court has just struck those tariffs down, ruling that President Trump exceeded his authority and the power to enact tariffs is reserved for Congress — a claim that is utter nonsense, by the way.

Historically, the executive branch has broad authority to negotiate trade and can adjust tariff rates without requiring Congressional approval.

In other words, this ruling is utterly ridiculous and yet another example of activist judges overstepping their bounds.

Charlie Kirk noted:

🚨BREAKING: In a sweeping new ruling, the U.S. Court of International Trade has just blocked President Trump's Liberation Day tariffs, saying that authority is with Congress.

With activist judges, what is even the point of having a president?!

FACT CHECK: While the Constitution… pic.twitter.com/pMIrgDab4C

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) May 28, 2025

BREAKING: In a sweeping new ruling, the U.S. Court of International Trade has just blocked President Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs, saying that authority is with Congress.

With activist judges, what is even the point of having a president?!

FACT CHECK: While the Constitution grants Congress the power to impose tariffs, Congress delegated much of that power to the Executive Branch in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which allows for adjustments to tariff rates without needing Congressional action. Courts have given the executive branch broad authority to negotiate trade, that is until now.

AP News reported:

A federal court on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump from imposing sweeping tariffs on imports under an emergency-powers law, swiftly throwing into doubt Trump’s signature set of economic policies that have rattled global financial markets, frustrated trade partners and raised broader fears about inflation intensifying and the economy slumping.

The ruling from a three-judge panel at the New York-based U.S. Court of International Trade came after several lawsuits arguing Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs exceeded his authority and left the country’s trade policy dependent on his whims.

Trump has repeatedly said the tariffs would force manufacturers to bring back factory jobs to the U.S. and generate enough revenue to reduce federal budget deficits. He used the tariffs as a negotiating cudgel in hopes of forcing other nations to negotiate agreements that favored the U.S., suggesting he would simply set the rates himself if the terms were unsatisfactory.

The federal court’s ruling blocks the majority, though not all, of President Trump’s tariffs.

CNN specified which tariffs will be impacted:

The order halts Trump’s 30% tariffs on China, his 25% tariffs on some goods imported from Mexico and Canada, and the 10% universal tariffs on most goods coming into the United States. It does not, however, affect the 25% tariffs on autos, auto parts, steel or aluminum, which were subject to Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act – a different law than the one Trump cited for his broader trade actions.

President Trump has already appealed the court’s insane ruling.

🚨 BREAKING UPDATE: President Trump has just APPEALED the ruling that struck down his Liberation Day Tariffs. https://t.co/eIZxbgLY0u pic.twitter.com/577nFfLONu

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 29, 2025

From The New York Post:

White House spokesperson Kush Desai called the US’s trade deficits a national emergency “that has decimated American communities, left our workers behind, and weakened our defense industrial base — facts that the court did not dispute.”

“It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency,” Desai stated, adding the administration is still “committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American Greatness.”

The Trump administration quickly filed a notice of appeal that could likely lead all the way to the Supreme Court to make a final determination.

The White House has insisted that only Congress, and not judges, can determine the “political” question on whether the president is allowed to declare emergency duties.

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