US appeals court rules Trump’s sweeping tariffs illegal, but keeps them in place for now

Monday, 1 September 2025 06:40 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump had no legal right to impose sweeping tariffs on almost every country on earth but left in place for now his effort to build a protectionist wall around the American economy.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled Trump wasn’t legally allowed to declare national emergencies and impose import taxes on almost every country on earth, a ruling that largely upheld a May decision by a specialised federal trade court in New York.

“It seems unlikely that Congress intended to grant the President unlimited authority to impose tariffs,” the judges wrote in a 7-4 ruling.

But they did not strike down the tariffs immediately, allowing his administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The US President vowed to do just that. “If allowed to stand, this Decision would literally destroy the United States of America,” Trump wrote on his social medial platform.

Revenue from tariffs totalled $ 159 billion by July, more than double what it was at the same point the year before.

The Justice Department warned in a legal filing this month that revoking the tariffs could mean “financial ruin” for the US. (The Hindu Business Line)