- Trump administration challenges court ruling that deemed most tariffs illegal
- Tariffs justified as key to US strategy for peace in Ukraine conflict
- US doubled tariffs on India to 50% over Russian oil imports and trade deficit
US President Donald Trump's administration has moved the Supreme Court to challenge a federal appeals court ruling that decreed most of his sweeping tariffs illegal. In the court papers, the Trump administration has argued that the tariffs are "a crucial aspect of our push for peace" in Ukraine.
"The President recently authorised IEEPA tariffs against India for purchasing Russian energy products, to deal with a preexisting national emergency regarding Russia's war in Ukraine, as a crucial aspect of his push for peace in that war-torn country," the administration wrote.
#BREAKING on @ndtv: Trump Administration files appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeals declaring Trump's tariffs illegal. Trump Admin to SC: “We recently authorised tariffs against #India for purchasing Russian energy products to deal with a preexisting national… pic.twitter.com/aKYFXvgSPl
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 4, 2025
This comes against the backdrop of intensifying trade and geopolitical tensions. On August 27, US President Donald Trump's administration doubled tariffs on India to 50 percent - half aimed at penalising New Delhi for ramping up Russian oil imports after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, and the other half under Trump's signature "America First" push to cut trade deficits.
The filing stated that with tariffs, the US is a "rich nation" and without, it is a "poor nation".
"According to the president, one year ago, the United States was a dead country, and now, because of the trillions of dollars being paid by countries that have so badly abused us, America is a strong, financially viable, and respected country again," the filing said.
Last week, a US appeals court ruled that many of Trump's tariffs, which have upended global trade, were illegal, but had allowed the tariffs to remain in place to give the administration time till mid-October to take it up to the Supreme Court.
The 7-4 ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a lower court's finding that Trump had exceeded his authority in tapping emergency economic powers to impose wide-ranging duties.
Trump had slammed the ruling and posted on Truth Social that the appeals court "incorrectly said that our Tariffs should be removed, but they know the United States of America will win in the end".
He also added that he would fight back "with the help" of the Supreme Court.
In January, Trump had used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to slap "reciprocal tariffs" on nations that traded with the US. However, the ruling stated that under the statute the president can take decisions in response to a declared national emergency, but none of these actions involve the power to impose tariffs, duties or taxes.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, had remarked that suspending the effectiveness of tariffs "would lead to dangerous diplomatic embarrassment."
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