President Donald Trump dances at the conclusion of his Make America Great Again rally at ST Engineering in Pensacola, Florida, on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020.
Washington D.C. – Today, a federal appeals court granted the Trump administration’s request to temporarily block a lower-court decision that invalidated the bulk of former President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The ruling gives the administration time to argue for maintaining the trade measures while the appeal is underway.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a brief order staying the judgment from the U.S. Court of International Trade, which had struck down Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs and other trade duties. The appellate court said the stay would remain in place “until further notice” as it reviews the administration’s request for a longer pause.
The Trump administration had indicated it would seek emergency relief from the U.S. Supreme Court as early as Friday if the lower court’s ruling was not halted. Thursday’s stay temporarily spares the administration from pursuing that immediate legal escalation.
The trade court’s decision, delivered Wednesday evening, found that Trump had overstepped his legal authority when imposing the tariffs. The panel of three judges — including one appointed by Trump — ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not authorize the sweeping measures enacted as part of Trump’s “liberation day” trade overhaul.
Their judgment permanently blocked the tariffs and prohibited the administration from issuing any future changes to those duties. It also gave the government a ten-day deadline to implement changes in compliance with the ruling.
In response, the administration quickly filed a notice of appeal and asked both the trade court and the appellate court to delay enforcement of the ruling. Thursday’s stay from the appeals court fulfills part of that request, offering temporary relief while the broader legal battle unfolds.
The plaintiffs in the case include several state attorneys general and a coalition of U.S. businesses, who argue that the tariffs caused economic harm and were enacted without proper authority. The appeals court has given them one week to file a response to the administration’s request for a stay pending appeal. The government will have until June 9 to reply.
The legal standoff over the tariffs comes amid a broader political push by the Trump administration to defend its international trade policies. In the aftermath of the ruling, White House officials have attacked the trade court’s legitimacy, accusing it of bias and overreach.
Check back to see how this shakes out. We will continue updating this story as it develops.
