Federal Court Rules Presidential Authority Over Tariffs Was Exceeded in Trump Administration
Published May 28, 2025, 8:40 PM (EDT)
Former President Donald Trump’s attempt to impose sweeping tariffs on international trade partners has been declared unlawful by a federal court. The ruling emphasizes that the executive branch lacked the constitutional authority to unilaterally set such tariffs without congressional approval.
The U.S. Court of International Trade concluded that Trump’s invocation of emergency powers did not justify the broad application of 10% tariffs across nearly all U.S. trading partners. The three-judge panel emphasized that the legal basis cited by the Trump administration-the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)-must be interpreted narrowly, and that the president’s claims exceeded the scope granted by law.
In their decision, the judges stated, “The President’s assertion of tariff-making authority, without any limitations on duration or scope, surpasses the authority delegated under IEEPA. Consequently, the tariffs enacted are deemed ultra vires and unlawful.”
White House spokesperson Kush Desai criticized the ruling, asserting that President Trump aimed to utilize all available executive powers to respond to national economic challenges. “It is not for unelected judges to determine how the President should address a national emergency,” he remarked.
This legal setback marks another obstacle in Trump’s broader policy agenda, which has faced multiple judicial challenges. On Memorial Day, Trump publicly criticized the judiciary, referring to some judges as “USA-hating” and accusing them of obstructing efforts to protect national interests.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote, “Happy Memorial Day to all, including those judges who have spent the last four years trying to undermine our country with radical leftist agendas… and to judges who allegedly protect criminals, drug traffickers, and violent offenders from justice. I hope the Supreme Court and other fair-minded judges will save us from these destructive decisions.”
