Trump Vows Tariffs Will Stay Despite Appeals Court Rejection

U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to keep tariffs in place despite a federal appeals court ruling that struck down his use of emergency powers to impose sweeping trade restrictions.

On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld a lower court’s decision that Trump’s executive orders had exceeded presidential authority. The ruling invalidated five orders that had established indefinite tariffs on nearly all imports from dozens of countries.

But Trump dismissed the ruling as partisan and “totally wrong,” writing on his social media platform Truth Social:

“ALL TARIFFS ARE STILL IN EFFECT. This decision is a total disaster for the Country and would make America financially weak.”

Trump’s Defiant Response

Trump argued that removing tariffs would devastate U.S. farmers and manufacturers, and he warned that the ruling could “literally destroy the United States of America.” He said Washington would no longer tolerate “enormous trade deficits and unfair tariffs” imposed by other nations.

What the Court Said
The appeals court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) — passed in 1977 — does not give presidents the authority to impose broad tariffs. Traditionally, the law has been used for sanctions, embargoes, and asset freezes in times of national emergency, but never before for blanket trade tariffs.

Trump’s administration had invoked IEEPA by declaring national emergencies tied to trade deficits and issues such as drug trafficking.

Next Stop: Supreme Court
Trump signaled that the fight is far from over. He said he expects the Supreme Court to ultimately side with him:

“For years, weak politicians let tariffs be used against us. Now, with the Supreme Court’s help, we will use them for the benefit of our Nation — to make America rich, strong, and powerful again.”

During oral arguments in July, government lawyers defended the tariffs as a valid use of emergency powers, while opponents argued they amounted to constitutional overreach, bypassing Congress’s exclusive authority over trade and taxation.

The Supreme Court’s eventual ruling could reshape both U.S. economic policy and the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches.