US President Donald Trump on Saturday hit back at US Appeals Court’s ruling that deemed most of his tariffs as unlawful, insisting his tariff policy remains intact and vowing to fight the case in the Supreme Court.
His reaction comes as the US court declared that the majority of President Donald Trump’s tariffs were illegaldelivering a significant setback to one of his signature economic policies. The court, however, allowed the levies to stay in place until October 14, giving the administration an opportunity to challenge the decision before the Supreme 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 of America will win in the end,” he said.
“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. The U.S.A. will no longer tolerate enormous Trade Deficits and unfair Tariffs and Non Tariff Trade Barriers imposed by other Countries, friend or foe, that undermine our Manufacturers, Farmers, and everyone else. If allowed to stand, this Decision would literally destroy the United States of America.”
Trump added: “At the start of this Labor Day weekend, we should all remember that TARIFFS are the best tool to help our Workers, and support Companies that produce great MADE IN AMERICA products. For many years, Tariffs were allowed to be used against us by our uncaring and unwise Politicians. Now, with the help of the United States Supreme Court, we will use them to the benefit of our Nation, and Make America Rich, Strong, and Powerful Again! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
What the US court’s ruling said
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, DC, ruled that Donald Trump exceeded his authority by imposing certain tariffs under emergency powers laws.
“The statute 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 court said in its order, according to Reuters.
The decision strikes down Trump’s so-called “reciprocal” tariffs introduced in April during his trade war, along with a separate set of tariffs announced in February against China, Canada, and Mexico. Other tariffs, including those on steel and aluminum imposed under different statutes, remain unaffected.
Trump had defended his actions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a 1977 law generally used to impose sanctions or freeze assets during national emergencies. He was the first US president to invoke IEEPA for tariffs.
However, the court noted, “It seems unlikely that Congress intended, in enacting IEEPA, to depart from its past practice and grant the President unlimited authority to impose tariffs.”
The ruling came in response to two lawsuits—one filed by five small US businesses and another by 12 Democratic-led states—arguing that IEEPA does not authorize tariffs.
The plaintiffs contended that the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to impose taxes and tariffs, and that any delegation of such authority must be explicit and limited.
