Court Rules Against Trump Administration in Tariff Case, Opening Path to Supreme Court Appeal

A federal panel has ruled against the Trump administration in a key tariff-related case, concluding that the plaintiffs are entitled to judgment as a matter of law, Fox News reports.

The court found no genuine dispute over material facts, paving the way for a summary judgment to be issued against the United States.

“This conclusion entitles Plaintiffs to judgment as a matter of law; as the court further finds no genuine dispute as to any material fact, summary judgment will enter against the United States,” the panel wrote in its decision.

While the ruling delivers a legal setback to President Donald Trump’s trade policies, the administration retains the option to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, uncertainty looms over which imported goods could still be subject to tariffs and how the administration may choose to respond.

“Foreign countries’ nonreciprocal treatment of the United States has fueled America’s historic and persistent trade deficits,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said. “These deficits have created a national emergency that has decimated American communities, left our workers behind, and weakened our defense industrial base – facts that the court did not dispute.”

Desai continued:

“It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency. President Trump pledged to put America First, and the Administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American greatness.”

The legal decision comes shortly after Trump unveiled a sweeping new trade initiative on April 2, dubbed “Liberation Day,” in which he introduced a series of customized tariffs targeting dozens of nations. The plan also includes a 10% baseline tariff on imports from all countries, aimed at correcting what Trump described as decades of unfair trade practices and barriers erected against American goods.

As part of his broader economic agenda, Trump has also floated more aggressive tariff proposals, including a potential 25% tariff on iPhones and a 50% tariff on goods imported from the European Union.