“The core Congressional power to impose taxes such as tariffs is vested exclusively in the legislative branch by the Constitution. Tariffs are a core Congressional power,” the court ruled in a 7-4 ruling.
However, the tariffs are still in effect as the court granted time until October 14, for the Trump administration to appeal to the US Supreme Court.Trump calls court ‘partisan’
Following the ruling of the court, Trump criticised the court’s ruling by calling it “highly partisan”, adding that he would move to the Supreme Court against the judgement.
“Today a highly partisan Appeals Court incorrectly said that our tariffs should be removed, but they know the United States of America will win in the end. If these tariffs ever went away, it would be a total disaster for the country. It would make us financially weak, and we have to be strong. The USA will no longer tolerate enormous trade deficits and unfair tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers imposed by other countries, friend or foe, that undermine our manufacturers, farmers, and everyone else. If allowed to stand, this decision would literally destroy the USA,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
“At the start of this Labor Day weekend, we should all remember that TARIFFS are the best tool to help our Workers, and support companies that produce great MADE IN AMERICA products. For many years, tariffs were allowed to be used against us by our uncaring and unwise politicians. Now, with the help of the United States Supreme Court, we will use them to the benefit of our nation, and make America rich, strong, and powerful again,” he added.
Trump’s tariffs across the world In his second term as the US President, Trump has used tariffs and as a major part of his foreign policy.
The US has signed trade agreements with many countries such as the UK, EU, Japan, Vietnam, and Pakistan among others.
While the tariffs on these countries are low, Trump has imposed 50% tariff rates on India and Brazil. For India, he reasons that the country’s imports of Russian oil is helping it fuel the war with Ukraine.
All about the court ruling
Former Acting US Solicitor General Neal Katyal, represented the appellants in the case.
“You’ve got the president who’s imposed the largest tax increase on American consumers since 1993… And he did it without congress saying one word. That is not our constitutional structure,” told CNN in an interview.
Core of court holding pic.twitter.com/0PwBWouBCK
– Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) August 29, 2025
Following the ruling, New York Representative Gregory Meeks said that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), under which Trump had declared national emergencies to impose tariffs, is not the relevant tariff statute.
“Both trial & appellate courts told Trump his tariffs are illegal, as I argued in amicus briefs with my colleagues. IEEPA’s not a tariff statute. Speaker Johnson must stop covering for Trump’s lawlessness & put my resolutions on the floor to end the tariffs,” Meeks said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
