Trump's tariffs dealt catastrophic blow as judge rules worldwide trade levies 'illegal'
By EMILY GOODIN, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT
Published: 20:05 EDT, 28 May 2025 | Updated: 21:48 EDT, 28 May 2025
President Donald Trump's global tariffs were declared illegal and blocked by a federal court on Wednesday in a massive blow to his administration.
The ruling from a three-judge panel at the New York-based Court of International Trade came after several lawsuits from Democratic-led states and a group of small businesses argued Trump had wrongfully invoked an emergency law to justify the levies.
The court agreed, barring most of the restrictions that the president has announced since taking office.
Asian shares advanced and U.S. futures jumped immediately after the decision with the future for the S&P 500 up 1.6% while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.2%.
'The Worldwide and Retaliatory Tariff Orders exceed any authority granted to the President by IEEPA to regulate importation by means of tariffs,' the court wrote, referring to the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The White House blasted the decision, arguing that 'unelected judges' have no right to weigh in on Trump's actions to address what the administration frames as a 'national emergency.'
'Foreign countries' nonreciprocal treatment of the Unites States has fueled America's historic and persistent trade deficits. These deficits have created a national emergency that has decimated American communities, left our workers behind, and weakened our defense industrial base – facts that the court did not dispute,' White House spokesman Kush Desai said.
'It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency. President Trump pledged to put America First, and the Administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American Greatness.'
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