US trade court stops Trump’s sweeping tariffs

KABUL (Pajhwok): A US court has ruled President Donald Trump overstepped his mandate to slap sweeping tariffs — a move that has jacked up the cost of imports for all Americans.

CNN reported a three-judge panel at the US Court of International Trade in Manhattan, stopped Trump’s tariffs that he imposed citing emergency economic powers.

The decision also prevents the president from implementing the tariffs he imposed earlier in the year on China, Mexico and Canada.

The court ordered a window of 10 days for administrative orders “to effectuate the permanent injunction.” Most — but not all — of Trump’s tariffs would be suspended if the ruling holds up in appeal.

However, the 25% tariffs on autos, auto parts, steel or aluminum, which were subject to Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, remain unaffected by the decision.

Filed by the legal advocacy group Liberty Justice Center in April, the lawsuit represented wine-seller VOS Selections and four other small businesses harmed by the tariffs.

The panel handed down a unanimous decision, publishing an opinion on the VOS suit and also one by a dozen Democratic states brought against the Trump tariffs.

In its verdict, the court said Trump did not have the authority to impose those tariffs even after declaring a national emergency.

In their judgment, the judges said: “The worldwide and retaliatory tariff orders exceed any authority granted to the President by IEEPA to regulate importation by means of tariffs. The trafficking tariffs fail because they do not deal with the threats set forth in those orders.”

Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement:: “It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency. President Trump pledged to put America First, and the administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American Greatness.”

PAN Monitor/mud