Trump seeks expedited decision to save tariffs
By: Maureen Groppe
USA Today
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court save the sweeping tariffs that are the centerpiece of his economic agenda after lower courts ruled he doesn't have the authority to impose them.
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In an appeal filed September 3, [2025] Trump asked the court to expedite its usual appeals process so the issue can be quickly resolved.
..... The Justice Department wants the justices to decide by September 10 [2025] whether they will take the case and to hear arguments in November. [2025]
..... "The stakes in this case could not be higher," Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote.
.... A Supreme Court appeal typically takes months to be heard - and often justices can move more quickly when they want to. For example, the court in January [2025] upheld a law aimed at banning TikTok just weeks after the social media giant appealed a lower court's ruling.
..... The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled August 29 [2025] that Trump overstepped his constitutional powers when he invoked a 1977 law to impose tariffs on imports from most of the world's countries.
..... But the court allowed the tariffs to remain in effect through October 14, [2025] giving the Trump administration an opportunity to appeal the decisions to the Supreme Court, where conservatives have a 6-3 super-majority.
..... Trump has claimed that refunding the higher taxes he's put on imports could lead to another Great Depression. His administration is relying on the tariffs to bring billions of dollars in new revenue and to boost domestic manufacturing.
..... "If you took away tariffs, we could end up being a Third World country" Trump said September 2. [2025]
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Still, small businesses and states challenging the tariffs say they have hurt U.S. companies that rely on imports, raised prices for consumer and sparked uncertainty for Americans.
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To defend his sue of the duties, Trump is citing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a haw historically sued for imposing economic sanctions and other penalties on foreign enemies.
..... While the law doesn't mention tariffs, the administration has pointed to the president's power under the law to "regulate' imports in a crisis. Trump says the nation's persistent trade deficit and the flow of fentanyl into the United States qualify as such an emergency.
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In a 7-4 decision, the appeals court said it seemed unlikely that Congress intend to give presidents unlimited authority to impose tariffs.
..... "The statue bestows significant authority on the President to undertake a number of actions in response to a declared national emergency, but none of these actions explicitly include the power to impose tariffs, duties, or the like, or the power to tax," the court said.
..... The court's decision does not affect tariffs issued under other legal authority, such as Trump;s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
...... Contributing: Reuters