US Court: Most Of Trump's Tariffs Are Illegal

JAKARTA - The United States (US) High Court ruled that most of President Donald Trump's trade rates were illegal. This appeal decision weakens the use of tariffs by Republican presidents as an important international economic policy tool.

Reported by Reuters on Saturday, August 30, the court allowed Trump's rates to remain in effect until October 14 to give the Trump administration the opportunity to file a further appeal to the US Supreme Court.

The appeals court's ruling comes as legal battles over the independence of the Federal Reserve appear to also take place at the Supreme Court, sparking an unprecedented legal dispute this year over Trump's entire economic policy.

Trump has made tariffs a pillar of US foreign policy in his second term of office, using them to exert political pressure and renegotiate trade agreements with goods exporting countries to the United States.

Tariffs have given the Trump administration the influence to gain economic concessions from trading partners, but have also increased volatility in financial markets.

Trump lamented the court's decision he called "very partisan", writing on Truth Social: "If this tariff is abolished, it will be a total disaster for the State."

But Trump predicts the next verdict will turn around. Trump hopes the tariff will benefit the country "with the help of the Supreme Court."

A 7-4 decision from the US Court of Appeals to the Federal Circuit in Washington, DC, discusses the legality of tariffs Trump calls a "return" imposed as part of its April trade war, as well as a series of separate tariffs imposed in February against China, Canada, and Mexico.

The court's ruling does not affect the rates issued under other legal powers, such as Trump's tariff for steel and aluminum imports.