US Appeals Court Declines To Delay Trump Tariff Refund Lawsuits

WASHINGTON, March 3 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- A federal appeals court declined to pause lawsuits filed on Monday seeking refunds for tariffs that the Supreme Court ruled last month were imposed illegally by United States (US) President Donald Trump, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

The administration had sought on Friday to have the court delay the issuance of any mandate for 90 days, but the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit instead denied the request and cleared the way for the lawsuits to continue at the US Court of International Trade.

The case was brought by a group of five small businesses seeking refunds for the tariffs they paid under Trump’s global tariff push.

The Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which previously served as the legal basis for Trump’s tariff measures, does not grant the president the authority to impose broad tariffs.

On the same day, Trump sought to work around the ruling by imposing a 10 per cent global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. He said he raised the tax to 15 per cent one day later, but White House officials clarified that only the 10 per cent decree has been formally signed, with any increase to 15 per cent to occur at a later stage.

Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 authorises the president to impose temporary tariffs for up to 150 days in response to “large and serious” balance-of-payments deficits.

After 150 days, Congress would have to approve the tariffs, though the administration has said it will pursue ways to get around that requirement.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court said the Constitution “very clearly” gives Congress the authority to tax, including decisions to impose tariffs, not the president.

The Framers did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote on behalf of the majority, referring to the authors of the Constitution.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU