A US federal appeals court has ruled that most of the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration were unlawful, but President Donald Trump on Friday rejected the ruling, insisting that all tariffs remain in force and describing the decision as the work of a “highly partisan” court.
“ALL TARIFFS ARE STILL IN EFFECT! Today a highly partisan Appeals Court incorrectly said that our tariffs should be removed, but they know the United States will win in the end. If these tariffs ever went away, it would be a total disaster for the country. It would make us financially weak, and we have to be strong,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The ruling, delivered by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, stated that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not give a president the authority to impose tariffs in the manner Trump did earlier this year. Judges noted that tariffs amount to taxes, which are a “core Congressional power” under the Constitution, and therefore beyond unilateral presidential authority.
Despite the legal setback, Trump doubled down, warning that the US would no longer tolerate trade deficits, unfair tariffs, or non-tariff barriers from other nations. “If allowed to stand, this decision would literally destroy the United States of America,” he asserted.
Trump defended tariffs as a vital tool for protecting American workers and industries. “Tariffs are the best tool to help our workers and support companies that produce great ‘Made in America’ products,” he said, accusing past administrations of allowing foreign nations to take advantage of the US.
The White House backed Trump’s stance. Spokesperson Kush Desai said, “President Trump lawfully exercised the tariff powers granted to him by Congress to defend our national and economic security from foreign threats. The President’s tariffs remain in effect, and we look forward to ultimate victory on this matter.”
The legal wrangling has cast uncertainty over ongoing negotiations with US trade partners. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had earlier suggested talks could conclude by Labor Day, but the court ruling complicates that timeline.
In April, Trump had announced sweeping new tariffs targeting around 60 countries and trade blocs, calling the move “Liberation Day” and marking the largest US tariff hike in nearly a century.
Meanwhile, a report by investment bank Jefferies linked the 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods partly to Trump’s “personal pique” over being denied a role in mediating the May military conflict between India and Pakistan. The report also noted that agriculture remains a major sticking point, with successive Indian governments refusing to open the sector to foreign imports due to the impact on nearly 250 million farmers and workers who depend on it.
