The #Constitution gives #Congress the #power to levy #tariffs. But the #Trump administration argued that a 1977 #law allowing the president to regulate importation during “emergencies” also allows him to set tariffs. Other presidents have used the law dozens of times to impose #sanctions, but Trump was the first president to invoke it for #import #taxes.
#law #economy #inflation #affordability #CostOfLiving #geopolitics #SCOTUS
#Trump set what he called “reciprocal” #tariffs on most countries in April 2025 to address #trade #deficits that he declared a “national emergency”. Those came after he imposed extra #duties on #Canada, #China & #Mexico, ostensibly to address a “drug trafficking” “emergency”.
A series of lawsuits followed, including a case from a dozen largely Democratic-leaning #states & others from small #businesses selling everything from plumbing supplies to educational toys to women’s cycling apparel.