United States President Donald Trump has filed an appeal against a recent ruling striking down his Liberation Day tariffs. The three-judge Court of International Trade recently struck down Trump’s proposed Liberation Day tariffs, barring most of the restrictions the President imposed on its trading partner.
According to Trump, the tariffs aimed to tackle what he described as a ‘National Emergency’. However, the court said it does not acknowledge the effectiveness of Trump’s use of tariffs as leverage, claiming it was impermissible because federal law doesn’t allow it. The verdict marked a significant setback to his moves as he sought to revise the US trading relationship with the world by forcing governments to the negotiating table through tough tariffs.
The Trump administration criticizes the Federal Trade Court ruling
Alongside the verdict, the court also gave the White House 10 days to complete the bureaucratic process of halting the tariffs. However, the administration has already appealed the ruling. In the appeal, Trump argues that the judges have no right to assess the President’s actions, which the White House frames as a national emergency.
Trump’s spokesman, Kush Desai, noted that the President pledged to put America first, and the administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to address the crisis and restore American greatness. Desai’s remarks did not mention any legal challenges, although reports indicated that Trump had already filed a notice of appeal on Wednesday.
The Justice Department also backed Trump in court, arguing that the judiciary has minimal authority over his actions. The department also condemned the court’s claim that the White House was attempting to take over the power of the other branches of government.
Trump imposed the April 2 tariffs on most trading partners, adding a baseline of 10% with steeper duties on several economies, including China and the European Union. Global markets plummeted but calmed after he paused the larger tariffs for 90 days to allow negotiations. The court’s verdict also canceled levies that Trump imposed on Canada, Mexico, and China separately using emergency powers.
Trump also mentioned that Americans will reap the benefits of his “America First” trade posture, pointing to early successes in deals struck with Britain and China. The US Treasury Secretary mentioned on Friday that the lower 10% baseline tariff rate was contingent on countries or trading blocs that negotiated in good faith.