US appeals court rules most Trump tariffs illegal, allows temporary continuation

Guwahati: A divided US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Friday ruled that most of former President Donald Trump’s tariffs imposed on several countries were illegal.

However, the court allowed the tariffs to remain in place until October 14, giving the Trump administration time to appeal to the US Supreme Court.

The 7–4 ruling upheld an earlier decision by the US Court of International Trade, which found that Trump had wrongly invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)—a 1970s-era law—to justify imposing sweeping tariffs.

The appellate judges, however, sent the case back to the lower court to determine whether the ruling applies broadly or only to the parties directly involved.

The decision has created fresh uncertainty around America’s ongoing trade disputes, including with India, which has faced a 50% tariff, along with an additional 25% penalty linked to its purchase of Russian energy.

Reacting to the ruling, Trump dismissed it as the work of a “highly partisan appeals court,” insisting on his Truth Social platform that the tariffs “will remain in effect” and expressing confidence that the Supreme Court would ultimately side with him.

The case is now expected to move to the Supreme Court, which has previously backed Trump on several trade-related matters. Alternatively, the Court of International Trade could revisit the issue before it reaches the justices.

While Trump still has other legal tools to impose tariffs, analysts say this ruling complicates his broader ambition to unilaterally reshape US trade policy.