On Wednesday, a federal trade court voided some of the tariffs the Trump administration has imposed as part of its effort to shore up the trade deficit and boost manufacturing.
Less than 24 hours later, a second court, the District Court of Washington, D.C., issued a similar ruling just after noon on Thursday.
The rulings have set the stage for a contentious court fight, as the White House immediately filed an appeal to the initial decision. The Trump administration may ask the U.S. Supreme Court as soon as Friday to pause the rulings, CNBC reported.
In the meantime, under the terms of the initial decision, the U.S. has until June 9 to direct customs officials to cease collections of the import taxes the president imposed under an emergency-powers statute.
These include the “fentanyl tariffs,” Trump imposed at the outset of his second term, the “reciprocal tariffs” he announced on April 9 (which so far have extended only to China), and the de minimis tariffs on low-cost imports from China.
Experts said the rulings inject further uncertainty into the markets and the economy.
In the event the rulings are allowed to fully take effect, here are the tariffs that would, and would not, be affected.
Tariffs struck down
- 10% universal baseline tariff
- 20% duties on Chinese goods in response to its alleged failures to combat fentanyl trafficking
- 10% “reciprocal” duty targeting all Chinese goods
- De minimis tariffs on Chinese goods valued at less than $800
Tariffs that remain in place
- 25% on auto imports (excluding non-U.S. content of USMCA-compliant autos)
- 25% on auto parts imports (USMCA-compliant parts exempt)
- 25% on all steel, aluminum, and aluminum articles
