Overview

• The U.S. Court of International Trade held its first full hearing on President Trump's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose 10% tariffs on all imports.
• Judges Katzmann, Reif, and Restani appeared doubtful that persistent trade deficits qualify as a national emergency under IEEPA, a key claim of the administration.
• Plaintiffs, including small businesses, argued that the tariffs represent an unconstitutional overreach of executive authority, citing the major questions doctrine.
• Justice Department lawyer Eric Hamilton defended the administration, asserting that the president's emergency powers under IEEPA are beyond judicial review and subject to congressional oversight.
• The case is one of several legal challenges to the tariffs, as the administration negotiates trade deals with the U.K. and China while temporarily pausing higher reciprocal tariff rates.