As speculation swirls over Donald Trump’s unusual absence from recent public events, the former president has been dealt another major legal setback.

Federal Appeals Court Declares Trump’s Tariffs “Unlawful”

In a landmark ruling, a federal appeals court voted 7–4 that Trump’s sweeping tariffs on foreign imports were unconstitutional and without legal basis.

At the center of the case are the hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs Trump unilaterally imposed on goods from China, Mexico, Canada, and dozens of other nations. The Trump administration had cited the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) to justify the tariffs. But the court was clear: the statute does not authorize a president to impose tariffs on his own. That authority, the judges stressed, rests squarely with Congress — explicitly written into Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

Neal Katyal, the attorney representing a coalition of small businesses, called the decision “a victory for the Constitution, not just a defeat for Trump.” He added: “The president of the United States cannot tax the American people with the stroke of a pen. That’s the very principle this nation was founded on.”

Economic and Political Fallout

Trump’s tariffs have been described as “the largest tax increase on Americans since 1993.” They drove up prices on everyday goods like coffee, steel, and electronics, while complicating the Federal Reserve’s efforts to curb inflation.

This ruling is not just about economics — it poses a major legal roadblock for Trump, who is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Yet many legal observers argue that even a conservative-leaning Court will struggle to side with him, since the case strikes at the bedrock principle of separation of powers.

Backlash and Sharp Reactions

Almost immediately, Trump allies erupted in outrage. Former White House adviser Stephen Miller blasted the decision on social media, writing: “Judicial coup is out of control.”

But legal experts counter that the decision could become one of the most consequential in decades — a rare judicial rebuke that reins in presidential authority on economic matters.

An Uncertain Future

With health rumors spreading and lawsuits piling up, Trump faces mounting challenges on multiple fronts. Should the case reach the Supreme Court, it will not only determine the fate of his tariffs but could also reshape the limits of presidential power for generations to come.