Trump Administration Appeals Global 10 Percent Tariff Ruling

Tokyo (ANTARA) - The administration of US President Donald Trump filed an appeal on Friday against a court decision blocking the 10 percent global tariff, marking a continuation of the legal dispute over the controversial trade policy. The appeal was lodged a day after a 2-1 ruling by a panel of judges at the US Court of International Trade stated that the use of Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act did not meet legal requirements. In February, Trump announced the blanket tariff after the Supreme Court overturned the reciprocal tariff policy and fentanyl-related levies on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico. “The Trump administration is reviewing legal options and remains confident of victory,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai told Kyodo News. Under the 1974 Trade Act, the new tariffs would apply for a maximum of 150 days unless extended by Congress. The policy was intended as a temporary substitute for country-specific tariffs. The latest ruling represents another legal setback for Trump’s economic agenda, but it only applies to the state of Washington and two plaintiff companies. The court stated that other plaintiffs lacked legal standing. The law allows the president to impose tariffs of up to 15 percent to address a large and serious balance of payments deficit. In the lawsuit, small business owners and 24 states—mostly led by Democrats—argued that Trump’s interpretation was erroneous because it equated the balance of payments with the trade balance. Last year, Trump also used the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose broad tariffs without congressional approval. The Supreme Court ruled that this step exceeded presidential authority because taxation is a legislative prerogative.