Federal Circuit Court Rules Trump Tariffs Violated IEEPA, Exceeded Presidential Authority

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled 7-4 that President Trump unlawfully exceeded his emergency powers authority when imposing sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The full court held that Trump’s ‘reciprocal tariffs’ and other historic import levies were not authorized under IEEPA, which is intended for genuine national security emergencies rather than broad trade policy.

The decision strikes down many of Trump’s most expansive tariffs, which had been imposed on imports from numerous countries. However, the court temporarily stayed implementation of its ruling until October 2025, allowing the Trump administration time to petition the Supreme Court for review. On September 4, 2025, the government filed an expedited petition for Supreme Court review, setting up a major constitutional showdown over presidential trade powers.

The ruling represents a significant check on executive authority and could have far-reaching implications for presidential use of emergency powers. Legal experts noted the decision was particularly notable for its bipartisan judicial consensus, with judges appointed by both parties agreeing that Trump overstepped statutory limits. The case highlights tensions between presidential claims of sweeping trade authority and congressional intent to limit emergency powers to genuine crises.