A federal appeals court has paused a ruling from the US Court of International Trade (CIT) that had blocked President Donald Trump’s tariffs, temporarily restoring his authority to impose them under emergency powers.
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued the stay less than 24 hours after the CIT ruled that Trump lacked authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad tariffs, including those targeting China, Mexico, and Canada.
The appeals court also set a briefing schedule: plaintiffs must respond by June 5, and the government’s reply is due by June 9, reports CNN.
The ruling comes amid mounting legal confusion over Trump’s tariff strategy, a key component of his economic policy. The CIT decision stemmed from two lawsuits—one by the Liberty Justice Center on behalf of small businesses, and another by 12 Democratic-led states. The court had given the administration 10 days to roll back the tariffs.
Trump denounced the CIT ruling on Truth Social, calling it a threat to presidential power and urging the Supreme Court to overturn it. His trade adviser, Peter Navarro, said the administration is exploring all legal and strategic options to sustain the tariffs.
Separately, a US district judge ruled that two American toy companies would suffer irreparable harm from the tariffs and issued a preliminary injunction—paused for two weeks to allow for an expected appeal.
The legal battle continues, as Trump’s administration works to defend its use of emergency powers while critics argue the tariffs are unlawful and economically damaging.