By Sama Marwan,
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is facing at least seven legal cases accusing him of overstepping his presidential powers, particularly for launching a trade war without Congressional approval, and for declaring a national emergency to impose tariffs affecting most countries around the world.
According to the Associated Press, Trump’s use of presidential authority to implement widespread tariffs was seen as an abuse of power, prompting a three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of International Trade to begin its first hearings on these challenges. Five small companies have filed requests with the court to halt the enforcement of the blanket import taxes Trump announced on April 2, which he labeled “Liberation Day.”
Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977, under which he imposed 10% tariffs on many countries, and even higher rates—exceeding 50% in some cases—as “reciprocal tariffs” on countries exporting more goods to the U.S. than they import. These tariffs were initially suspended for 90 days.
The companies challenging the measures described Trump’s declaration of emergency as a “fantasy of personal imagination,” arguing that the long-standing trade deficit does not constitute an economic emergency. Meanwhile, Trump’s administration argued that courts had previously allowed President Richard Nixon to impose emergency tariffs during the 1971 economic crisis.
The legal battle has united Democratic-led states with liberal advocacy groups, including the Center for Justice and Freedom, a nonprofit organization. More than 10 states have filed lawsuits against Trump’s tariffs in the Court of International Trade in New York, with a hearing scheduled for May 21.
Legal experts say that if the cases reach the Supreme Court, the justices might apply the same conservative legal principles previously cited by the Democratic Biden administration to overturn the tariffs imposed by Republican Trump during his first term.
Under the U.S. Constitution, the power to levy taxes—including tariffs—rests with Congress, and some lawmakers are now seeking to reclaim powers they had previously delegated to the executive branch.
