Donald Trump’s tariffs to remain in effect for now as US appeals court stays blocking order

A federal appeals court in the United States on Thursday temporarily reinstated President Donald Trump’s tariffs that had been blocked by a New York court a day earlier, Reuters reported.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington paused the ruling of the New York-based Court of International Trade in order to consider an appeal filed by the government. The appeals court directed the plaintiffs to put forward their stand by June 5, and the administration to respond by June 9.

Wednesday’s ruling had blocked tariffs imposed by Trump on imports into the country under a law that gives him extraordinary powers in emergency situations. It had said that the country’s Constitution gave Congress exclusive authority to regulate international commerce, and that the president’s emergency powers did not override this.

The order, however, did not halt the tariffs that the president imposed using his powers under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Among the tariff measures imposed under this law were a 25% tax imposed on most imported automobiles and on all foreign-made steel and aluminium.

However, the US government’s appeal against the ruling said that political branches, not courts, take decisions on foreign policy and drive economic policy, the BBC reported.

Trump had criticised the trade court’s...

Read more

News