Trump Administration Appeals Tariff Ruling After President Trump Blasts ‘Radical Left Judges’

The Trump administration moved Friday to appeal a federal court ruling that blocked a key portion of President Donald Trump’s tariff agenda, setting up another major legal battle over the president’s trade powers.

The United States Court of International Trade ruled Thursday in a 2-1 decision that a 10% global tariff imposed earlier this year under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 exceeded the authority granted under the law.

The court determined that Section 122 was never intended to address trade deficits caused by the United States importing more goods than it exports.

However, the ruling only applies directly to the plaintiffs who challenged the tariffs — two small businesses and the state of Washington.

Trump sharply criticized the ruling Thursday, accusing “two radical left judges” of undermining his trade agenda.

The decision marks another setback for Trump’s broader tariff strategy after the Supreme Court of the United States earlier this year struck down a separate set of sweeping global tariffs that had been imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Following that ruling, Trump pivoted to Section 122 authority to impose a temporary 10% tariff on imports while his administration pursued other trade actions.

Those tariffs are currently set to expire July 24 unless Congress extends them.

Jamieson Greer said Friday the administration remains confident it will prevail on appeal and defended the broader trade strategy.

Despite the latest legal setback, the administration is continuing work on additional tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a separate provision that allows the federal government to impose penalties over unfair trade practices.

Unlike the previous legal authorities challenged in court, Section 301 has survived repeated judicial scrutiny over the years.

The administration currently has three major Section 301 investigations underway, with findings expected in July.

The timing of the ruling is particularly significant because Trump is scheduled to meet with Xi Jinping in Beijing next week amid ongoing tensions between the United States and China over trade and manufacturing competition.

The dispute also opens the door to another potentially lengthy legal fight over billions of dollars in tariff refunds and could create uncertainty for importers and businesses already grappling with shifting trade policies.

Trump has made tariffs one of the central pillars of his economic agenda, repeatedly arguing they protect American manufacturing, reduce reliance on foreign imports, and pressure trading partners into fairer agreements with the United States.