A major blow for Donald Trump : a US federal appeals court ruled on Friday that a large portion of the tariffs imposed by the president were illegal, finding that such taxes fall under the purview of Congress, not the president. These tariffs, applied since January to almost all imports, will nevertheless remain in effect until October 14, to allow time for an appeal to the Supreme Court.
The decision, taken by a majority of seven justices to four, undermines Trump's protectionist strategy, which had made these tariffs a pillar of his economic and diplomatic policy. "ALL THE TARIFFS ARE STILL IN EFFECT!" he responded on Truth Social, denouncing the "highly politicized" judges. He assured that the Supreme Court, where he has a conservative majority, would reinstate his vision.
For his opponents, this decision illustrates the excesses of an "arbitrary and ruinous" policy. California's Democratic Governor, Gavin Newsom, mocked a "loser president," accusing him of having put the United States in an "embarrassing and dangerous" situation. The American executive, for its part, fears that the cancellation of these duties will deprive the country of a major tool of commercial pressure and lead to retaliation from its partners.
