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U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs as U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick holds a chart during an event in the Rose Garden entitled "Make America Wealthy Again" at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 2, 2025.
(Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images)
Third Federal Court Ruling in Less Than 24 Hours Puts 'Unlawful' Trump Tariffs on Path to Supreme Court
The trio of related rulings are more than likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
May 29, 2025
Update:
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Thursday put a stay on a lower-court ruling from a day earlier, which put a block on a large portion of President Donald Trump's tariff regime.
The latest intervention from the federal courts, according to Axios, "will deepen the chaos around the Court of International Trade's Wednesday order, which threatens to upend global commerce."
The appellate ruling only makes it more likely that the cases involving Trump's tariff order will find their way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The nation's highest court could take the case as early as Friday.
Earlier:
For the second time in less than 24 hours, a federal court Thursday blocked tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump earlier this year, ruling he exceeded his presidential authority with the sweeping and arbitrary nature of the orders.
U.S District Judge Rudolph Contreras, an Obama appointee who serves in Washington, D.C., determined Trump's orders were "unlawful" as he could not unilaterally declare emergencies in order to justify the imposition of tariffs against other nations.
The International Economic Emergency Powers Act, by which Trump justified his ability to impose the tariffs, "does not authorize the President to impose the tariffs set forth" in the series of executive orders issued, said Contreras in his decision. The ruling was accompanied, according to Politico, "by a preliminary injunction on the collection of the duties on the two plaintiffs who brought the case."
Contreras, however, stayed his order for two weeks "so the parties may seek review in the Court of Appeals."
Thursday's ruling comes a day after a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of International Trade unanimously ruled against Trump's tariff policy, a decision that was seen as a significant blow to the president's chaotic tariff agenda which has resulted in wild swings in the global economy.
In a filing on Thursday in reaction to Wednesday's ruling, the Department of Justice asked a federal court of appeals for a stay to the decision in anticipation of a likely appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Update:
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Thursday put a stay on a lower-court ruling from a day earlier, which put a block on a large portion of President Donald Trump's tariff regime.
The latest intervention from the federal courts, according to Axios, "will deepen the chaos around the Court of International Trade's Wednesday order, which threatens to upend global commerce."
The appellate ruling only makes it more likely that the cases involving Trump's tariff order will find their way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The nation's highest court could take the case as early as Friday.
Earlier:
For the second time in less than 24 hours, a federal court Thursday blocked tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump earlier this year, ruling he exceeded his presidential authority with the sweeping and arbitrary nature of the orders.
U.S District Judge Rudolph Contreras, an Obama appointee who serves in Washington, D.C., determined Trump's orders were "unlawful" as he could not unilaterally declare emergencies in order to justify the imposition of tariffs against other nations.
The International Economic Emergency Powers Act, by which Trump justified his ability to impose the tariffs, "does not authorize the President to impose the tariffs set forth" in the series of executive orders issued, said Contreras in his decision. The ruling was accompanied, according to Politico, "by a preliminary injunction on the collection of the duties on the two plaintiffs who brought the case."
Contreras, however, stayed his order for two weeks "so the parties may seek review in the Court of Appeals."
Thursday's ruling comes a day after a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of International Trade unanimously ruled against Trump's tariff policy, a decision that was seen as a significant blow to the president's chaotic tariff agenda which has resulted in wild swings in the global economy.
In a filing on Thursday in reaction to Wednesday's ruling, the Department of Justice asked a federal court of appeals for a stay to the decision in anticipation of a likely appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Update:
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Thursday put a stay on a lower-court ruling from a day earlier, which put a block on a large portion of President Donald Trump's tariff regime.
The latest intervention from the federal courts, according to Axios, "will deepen the chaos around the Court of International Trade's Wednesday order, which threatens to upend global commerce."
The appellate ruling only makes it more likely that the cases involving Trump's tariff order will find their way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The nation's highest court could take the case as early as Friday.
Earlier:
For the second time in less than 24 hours, a federal court Thursday blocked tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump earlier this year, ruling he exceeded his presidential authority with the sweeping and arbitrary nature of the orders.
U.S District Judge Rudolph Contreras, an Obama appointee who serves in Washington, D.C., determined Trump's orders were "unlawful" as he could not unilaterally declare emergencies in order to justify the imposition of tariffs against other nations.
The International Economic Emergency Powers Act, by which Trump justified his ability to impose the tariffs, "does not authorize the President to impose the tariffs set forth" in the series of executive orders issued, said Contreras in his decision. The ruling was accompanied, according to Politico, "by a preliminary injunction on the collection of the duties on the two plaintiffs who brought the case."
Contreras, however, stayed his order for two weeks "so the parties may seek review in the Court of Appeals."
Thursday's ruling comes a day after a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of International Trade unanimously ruled against Trump's tariff policy, a decision that was seen as a significant blow to the president's chaotic tariff agenda which has resulted in wild swings in the global economy.
In a filing on Thursday in reaction to Wednesday's ruling, the Department of Justice asked a federal court of appeals for a stay to the decision in anticipation of a likely appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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