Federal trade court blocks Trump's sweeping 'Liberation Day' tariffs

A federal court is blocking President Donald Trump from imposing sweeping tariffs on imports under an emergency-powers law. The ruling from a three-judge panel came after several lawsuits arguing Trump has exceeded his authority, leaving U.S. trade policy dependent on his whims. At least seven lawsuits are challenging the levies, the centerpiece of Trump’s trade policy. Trump says he has the power to act because the country’s trade deficits amount to a national emergency. The court found the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the use of tariffs. The plaintiffs argued that the trade deficit is not an emergency because the U.S. has run a trade deficit with the rest of the world for 49 consecutive years.