Trump fury after court rules tariffs are 'illegal'

DONALD TRUMP suffered the biggest defeat yet to his tariff policies after an appeals court ruled he had overstepped presidential powers by imposing punitive financial measures against almost every country.

- Marco Giannangeli

It centres on levies introduced on April 2 — his “Liberation Day” — when he set a 10% baseline on virtually all trading partners, as well as “reciprocal” tariffs on nations said to have treated the US unfairly.

Usually tariffs need to be approved by Congress but the President argued he took the action under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which gives him the authority to act against “unusual and extraordinary” threats.

Trump criticised the appeals court and its ruling on his Truth Social site, saying: “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 allowed to stand, this decision would literally destroy the United States of America.”