Trump’s Liberation Day Tariffs Just Got Body-Slammed by the Courts

Here’s our headline for today: On May 28, 2025, the U.S. Court of International Trade basically drop-kicked Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs into the trash. They ruled the Big Don overstepped his authority when he slapped those tariffs on damn near everything coming into the U.S. The court said: this ain’t it, chief. But before you could even tweet “L+Ratio,” Trump’s legal team hauled ass to the Federal Appeals Court, and bam, on May 29, they got the tariffs reinstated temporarily while the appeals process gets cranking.

So TL;DR: Trump’s tariffs got nuked. Then un-nuked. Now we’re in legal limbo where nothing’s certain except the fact that businesses are pulling their hair out and prices for your made-in-China iPhone are still high as giraffe balls.

If you were only interested about the headline you can close this article now and go back to your spreadsheets or pornhub or whatever you were doing. But if you want to actually understand what this all means, you can stick around for a few more paragraphs. Now, let’s slow this sh*t down and actually explain what’s going on under the hood.

What the hell are “Liberation Day” tariffs?

If you have been sitting under a rock: Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs were supposed to be his grand comeback move: a fat 10% tax on basically everything imported into the U.S., plus higher rates for countries he doesn’t send Christmas cards to, like China, Mexico, and Canada. The logic was to bring back American manufacturing, kick China in the teeth, and stop the flow of fentanyl into the country from Canada and Mexico. Sounds patriotic as f*ck until you realize how the system is actually supposed to work. If you want to understand the whole ordeal, check out this in depth explanation and timeline:

Everything You Need to Know About The 2025 Trade War (Complete Timeline)

Now onto the current news:

Trump didn’t run it through Congress, he didn’t have to, or so he thought. Instead, he used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a 1977 law that lets the President pull emergency levers during, you know, real emergencies. We're talking threats like terrorist attacks, rogue nukes, or global financial collapses. Not "we’re buying too many cheap TVs from Alibaba" or "fentanyl’s bad, m’kay."

So, the U.S. Court of International Trade looked at this mess and basically said, "Yeah, no." The IEEPA says the President can regulate international commerce after declaring a national emergency caused by an “unusual and extraordinary threat” that originates from outside the U.S. The measures have to be tied to that emergency. You can’t just yell “emergency!” and start rewriting trade policy.

The court found that the tariffs Trump slapped on weren’t laser-focused on the fentanyl crisis, they were broad as hell. Tariffing basically all imports, not just fentanyl-related stuff, isn’t really addressing the emergency at all. It’s just a full-on economic sucker punch. That’s not what the IEEPA was made for. Congress is supposed to have the power to regulate foreign commerce under the Constitution. In short: Trump tried to use emergency powers like a f*cking hammer where a scalpel was needed. The court wasn’t having it. So they declared the tariffs illegal.

Tariffs are still here tho(for now)

Trump doesn't really like being told no, and he has some tricks left up his sleeves. Enter the Federal Appeals Court, stage right. Trump’s crew hauled their briefcases and their bruised egos over there and begged for a stay. The Appeals Court, in a classic “eh, why not” move, said fine. So as of right now, the Liberation Day tariffs are still active while the appeal drags through the system.

What does that mean for you? As always imported goods, electronics, clothes, cars, you name it, are still getting slapped with extra taxes. Prices stay high. Businesses stay confused. You stay broke.

Why This Actually Matters (And Not Just to Your Wallet)

This whole thing is about way more than just trade wars and TikTok memes. It’s about presidential power. Specifically: how much can a President do without Congress signing off? If Trump wins this appeal, it sets a pretty wild precedent. Future Presidents, not just him, they could use the IEEPA like a Swiss Army chainsaw to bypass Congress and wage economic war whenever they want. Tariffs, sanctions, financial bans, all without a single vote from your so-called elected officials. If you thought democracy was already feeling flimsy, imagine a world where one dude can blow up trade with half the planet by yelling “national emergency” and signing a piece of paper.

If Trump loses? Big W for checks and balances. Congress would keep its grip on trade policy, and Presidents would have to stop using the IEEPA like a sledgehammer every time they want to look tough. But it also comes with undermining the Presidents authority and maybe losing out on new trade deals that could legitimately place the US in a better position.

Businesses are b*tchin" an moanin'

Supply chains are already held together with duct tape and prayers after the last few years of chaos, COVID, wars, shipping disasters, you name it. Now, add price uncertainty to the mix. You can’t plan, you can’t forecast costs, you can’t even set product prices without worrying that tomorrow your shipment’s getting tariffed out the ass. Also, in case you missed it: higher costs for businesses don’t magically stay with the businesses. They pass that sh*t down to you, the consumer. Expect higher prices at Walmart, Target, Amazon, wherever you’re feeding your shopping addiction.

What’s next?

This legal cage match is heading toward either a full appeals court decision or, if things get extra spicy, the Supreme Court. And if the Supreme Court takes it? Strap in. We’re talking about a landmark decision on presidential powers that could change how the U.S. handles trade policy forever. Until then, tariffs stay. Prices stay high. Businesses stay stressed. Stay tuned, because this isn’t over. It’s just getting messy — and messy is where America does its best work.