US Appeals Court Temporarily Reinstates Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs in Swift Reversal

A US federal appeals court on Thursday delivered a swift turn in a high-stakes trade dispute, temporarily reinstating a majority of President Donald Trump’s extensive tariffs just 24 hours after a lower trade court had invalidated them. The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit approved an emergency request from the Trump administration, which contended that the removal of the tariffs would jeopardize national security.

The appellate court’s brief order places an immediate hold on the Court of International Trade’s Wednesday ruling. That earlier decision had found President Trump overstepped his authority in imposing the controversial duties under an emergency powers law and ordered an immediate halt to most of them.

While no detailed reasoning was provided by the appeals court for its latest decision, it has set a deadline of June 5 for the plaintiffs to respond and June 9 for the administration’s reply. This temporary restoration means tariffs, including the so-called ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs and those targeting imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, are back in effect pending further legal proceedings.

The initial ruling by the Court of International Trade on Wednesday had delivered a significant setback to the Trump administration’s trade policies. It specifically ordered an immediate halt to most of the tariffs, finding that the President had exceeded his legal authority.

President Donald Trump swiftly condemned the trade court’s decision on his Truth Social platform, calling it “so wrong, and so political.” He expressed hope that the Supreme Court would “reverse this horrible, Country threatening decision, QUICKLY and DECISIVELY.”

Adding to the fast-moving developments, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett indicated on Thursday that several trade agreements could be finalized imminently. He mentioned being briefed on three deals that are “about to happen,” though he did not disclose which countries are involved.

Meanwhile, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro struck a defiant tone, stating on Thursday that if the Trump administration ultimately loses its legal battles over trade policy, it would explore alternative methods to impose tariffs. Navarro emphasized that US tariffs currently remain active due to the court-issued stay and that the administration continues to engage in trade negotiations.