Trump’s Use of Tariffs Faces Legal Test Ahead of Aug. 1 Deadline

The Trump administration's use of tariffs as a trade policy tool is facing a legal challenge in a US appeals court. The court will be weighing the legality of the majority of the president's global tariffs, a day before higher tariff rates on many countries are set to take effect on August 1. The case centers around the administration's use of a 1962 law, known as Section 232, which allows the president to impose tariffs on imports deemed a threat to national security. Critics argue that the president has abused this authority to pursue his broader trade agenda, rather than addressing genuine national security concerns. The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for the administration's ongoing trade disputes with various countries and its ability to unilaterally impose tariffs in the future. The court's decision is eagerly anticipated as it could set precedents regarding the limits of the president's trade policy powers.