US court declares most of Trump’s tariffs illegal

The US Federal Appeals Court has declared most of the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump illegal. In a verdict announced on Friday, the court said the Trump administration misused the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) while imposing the tariffs.

The court ordered that the increased tariffs imposed by Trump must be withdrawn. However, Trump has been given the chance to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court. The ruling will come into effect after October 14.

Out of 11 federal judges, 7 declared Trump’s tariff policy “illegal.” The 127-page ruling stated that, under US law, the power to impose tariffs belongs to Congress, while the President’s authority is limited. The President can use IEEPA to impose or withdraw tariffs on a country, but the law clearly specifies under which circumstances this power can be used.

According to the court, in most cases where Trump imposed extra tariffs on different countries, Congress’s recommendations were ignored. Therefore, those decisions do not comply with IEEPA.

Reacting to the ruling, Trump said if it is enforced, it would “destroy” the United States and its economy. He claimed his administration did not misuse IEEPA and called the verdict divided and wrong.

Trump also said, “If the tariffs are withdrawn, it will be a total disaster for us. The economy will collapse.” He made it clear that he would definitely challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court.

It is worth mentioning that Trump was re-elected in the 2024 election and took office for the second time on January 20, 2025. On April 2 of this year, he announced additional export tariffs on most countries, saying the decision was meant to reduce trade deficits and imbalances with the United States.