The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on the 29th approved the Trump administration's emergency request, deciding to temporarily stay an earlier ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade that prohibited the enforcement of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by the Trump administration. This decision means that the relevant tariff measures can continue to be applied until the court reaches a final decision on the matter.
In its ruling, the appellate court stated that the U.S. government's request for an administrative stay has been granted, and the permanent injunction issued by the U.S. Court of International Trade will be temporarily suspended during the further proceedings of the case. The court also emphasized that the administrative stay is a "temporary" measure, and its continuation will be determined based on the results of a comprehensive review.
The day before, the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that Trump's executive order to impose tariffs on multiple countries under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act lacked legal basis and declared the orders invalid with a permanent ban on their enforcement. The court argued the Act does not authorize the president to impose global, retaliatory, or tariffs related to illegal transactions. This decision stemmed from a lawsuit filed in mid-April by five small U.S. businesses and 12 state governments.
In response, the Trump administration filed an urgent appeal with the Federal Circuit, arguing that if the ruling was not immediately stayed, it would severely undermine the government’s ability to protect national economic security and execute trade policy, threatening to take the case to the Supreme Court on the 30th for swift intervention.
Simultaneously, the U.S. Federal District Court for the District of Columbia also issued a preliminary injunction on the 29th against some of the tariff measures implemented under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by the Trump administration. This ruling resulted from a lawsuit filed by two small businesses in April.
Background information shows that since February, the Trump administration has successively imposed tariffs on products imported from Canada, Mexico, China, and other countries based on this law, and further expanded the range on April 2nd to announce "reciprocal tariffs" on all trade partners. Despite legal challenges, some tariffs authorized by other laws are not affected by this decision, particularly the steel and aluminum and automobile tariffs imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which remain in effect.
Currently, the Trump administration's tariff policy is facing multiple legal challenges, and the appellate court's decision provides it with a temporary reprieve. However, as litigation progresses, the legality and future direction of its policy remain uncertain.
