A federal appeals court on Thursday lifted one of two rulings that had blocked President Trump’s tariffs, delivering a temporary victory for the administration just hours after a lower court rejected its legal arguments.
However, many of Trump’s tariffs remain on hold due to a separate ruling from a federal judge in Washington, D.C., The Hill reported. However, the recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has overturned the initial block that was imposed by a New York-based court managing trade cases on Wednesday evening.
“The judgments and the permanent injunctions entered by the Court of International Trade in these cases are temporarily stayed until further notice while this court considers the motions papers,” the new order reads.
The appeals panel also established a briefing schedule through June 9, allowing both sides to present their arguments before the court decides whether to extend the pause more permanently. Since taking office, Trump has pushed to impose tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners, causing volatility in financial markets as he frequently revised or delayed his announcements, the outlet noted further.
The lawsuits challenge Trump’s effort to implement a wide range of tariffs under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA), a law that allows the president to impose economic sanctions during a national emergency to address an “unusual and extraordinary threat.”
Democratic-led states and small businesses have launched multiple legal challenges, arguing that the statute does not give Trump the unilateral authority to impose tariffs.
On Wednesday night, the U.S. Court of International Trade dealt the administration a major blow by permanently blocking Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, along with others targeting China, Mexico, and Canada.
The following day, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued a similar ruling, which remains in effect. The administration has appealed that decision as well, though it will be reviewed by a separate court that has not yet ruled.
Neither case affects other tariffs imposed by Trump under different legal authorities, including those targeting specific products like steel, aluminum, and automobiles.
Administration officials have sharply criticized the judges who blocked the tariffs, accusing them of overstepping and interfering with presidential authority.
“Three judges of the U.S. Court of International Trade disagreed and brazenly abused their judicial power to usurp the authority of President Trump to stop him from carrying out the mandate that the American people gave him,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press briefing Thursday.
