An obscure federal court, that virtually nobody has ever heard of, ruled that President Trump does not have the authority to impose tariffs. In fact, the judges said an injunction wasn't enough — the United States Court of International Trade (USCIT) issued a summary judgment invalidating and blocking almost all of Trump's tariffs to date. Tariffs were already generating significant revenue for the US — almost $23 BILLION so far this month.
Senator John Kennedy responded: “I know that President Trump has the authority to tariff because Congress gave it to him.”
President Trump invoked several laws to justify his authority over trade policies, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Section 232, Section 301, and Section 122 Balance of Payments Authority.
The IEEPA of 1977, which had never been used to impose tariffs before, was invoked to declare a national emergency and impose tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, citing national security concerns.
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 allows the president to impose tariffs if imports threaten national security.
Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 grants the president authority to take action against foreign countries that violate U.S. trade laws.
Section 122 Balance of Payments Authority provides the president with the power to impose tariffs to address balance of payments issues. Section 122 allows the president to impose up to 15 percent tariffs for 150 days.
However, the obscure federal court ruled on May 28, 2025 that President Trump does not have the authority within the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to initiate emergency trade tariffs. They gave him 10 days to end those tariffs and return the over $23 BILLION we’ve collected so far! He appealed. Tariffs imposed under a different legal authority called Section 232 — including on imports of autos, steel and aluminum — are unaffected by the ruling.
Specifically, the challenged tariffs included:
Trafficking Tariffs: Imposed starting February 4, 2025 (March 4 for Canada/Mexico, following a pause). These included a 25% ad valorem duty on products from Canada and Mexico and initially a 10% ad valorem duty on products from China (later raised to 20%). The declared emergencies related to international cartels, the southern border situation, and failures by Canada and China to intercept drug traffickers and precursor suppliers. Modifications included lowering rates on Canadian/Mexican potash and implementing/removing duty-free de minimis treatment.
Worldwide and Retaliatory Tariffs: Imposed starting April 2, 2025. This involved a general 10% ad valorem duty on all imports from all trading partners, with higher rates (11% to 50%) for a list of 57 countries. The declared emergency cited a lack of reciprocity in trade relationships, disparate tariff rates, non-tariff barriers, foreign economic policies suppressing wages/consumption, and large/persistent annual U.S. goods trade deficits as constituting an "unusual and extraordinary threat.” Retaliatory tariffs against China reached as high as 125% before being lowered to 10% (in addition to the 20% trafficking tariff) effective until August 12, 2025. Implementation of the higher country-specific rates was paused for 90 days for most countries.
The V.O.S. Plaintiffs, consisting of five small businesses, challenged Trump’s tariffs before the USCIT the minute he announced them. They were represented by a group of progressive and Koch Libertarian lawyers from the Liberty Justice Center! That’s why I say that the Koch Libertarians and their lackeys like Thomas Massie, Justin Amash & Rand Paul are a bigger threat to MAGA than the Democrats!
Apparently, the bond market wasn’t able to derail Trump’s America First agenda by unwinding the basis trade and spiking yields - so the bogus courts are giving it another go. They have no authority to do so, but are trying to mess with Trump’s upcoming negotiations with the EU and other nations on trade - and even trying to weaken him in negotiations with Russia-Ukraine on the war. It’s all about timing and optics.
Stephen Miller called it another “judicial coup.” Now watch OTHER Federal Courts use this bogus ruling to justify their own injunctions!
https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1928070713803497751
Goldman Sachs said it was a nothing burger and Trump could quickly pivot to other tariff laws:
DOGEAI says that the court ruling on the tariff is a procedural hiccup, not a policy failure. The court’s decision to strike down President Trump’s tariffs is a textbook example of judicial overreach undermining America’s economic sovereignty and hinges on a narrow interpretation of IEEPA. The Chinese Communist Party and their state-run press wasted no time celebrating the court’s ruling against Trump.
I believe that the ruling is unenforceable and will be overturned on appeal - but the timing of the court ruling is not only designed to weaken Trump’s hand in tariff negotiations and peace negotiations but also make him vulnerable regarding passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” They are coming at him from all directions. It never stops.
My biggest concern about all this sabotage is that the Koch Libertarians, RINOs and Democrats might be successful in derailing Trump’s OBBB - the propaganda is thick - which would cause our taxes to go up 65%, hurl us into another Great Depression and literally hand the House, Senate and White House back to the Democrats in 2026 and 2028.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: “If the OBBB doesn't get approved, this country is going to have a 65% increase in taxes and lots of other problems, big problems. We'll have a 65% increase in taxes, as opposed to the largest tax cut in the history of our country.”
KEVIN HASSETT: "If Republicans in the Senate don't pass the big, beautiful bill, then we're going to see the biggest tax hike as the previous tax cuts expire - the biggest tax hike that we've ever had in US history. If we have that tax hike, the Council of Economic Advisers here at the White House has estimated that we'll have a recession, a really deep recession with maybe a decline of 4% of GDP."
"If we pass the bill, on the other hand, you're going to see really striking economic growth, just like we saw in 2018 and 2019. Our own models said that we'd have that $4,000 increase in income. They now say that we're going to get $10,000 in income for the typical family over just a few years."
In other words, our enemies know that what Team Trump is doing on the economy WILL WORK, and SAVE AMERICA, so they need to stop them from succeeding - at all costs. They are willing to burn down America & send us into the next Great Depression to take it back. Whatever you do, do NOT listen to the doomers and naysayers and false prophets. Stay the course and MAGA.
God Bless America!
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