A US federal appeals court has temporarily halted a ruling from the US Court of International Trade (CIT) on Wednesday night that had blocked Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit restores Trump’s authority to impose tariffs under emergency powers declared earlier this year.
This pause adds to the ongoing confusion and uncertainty surrounding Trump’s tariff strategy.
The CIT ruled on Wednesday that Trump lacked the authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to introduce sweeping tariffs.
The Trump administration immediately appealed the decision, initiating a legal battle over a policy Trump claims will refocus the American economy on manufacturing, but which critics warn could increase costs for small businesses and consumers.
Peter Navarro, Trump’s chief trade adviser, told reporters that while the pause was expected, the administration is exploring “all strategic options”. He suggested the administration is also considering other legal and executive tools to impose tariffs, in addition to continuing its appeal.
“I can assure the American people that the Trump tariff agenda is alive, well, and will be implemented," he said.
The Liberty Justice Centre, which represents several companies challenging the tariffs, issued a statement on Thursday describing the appeals court’s stay as “merely a procedural step while the court considers the government’s request for a longer delay pending appeal”.
“We remain confident the Federal Circuit Court will ultimately reject the government’s motion, recognising the irreparable harm these tariffs are causing our clients,” the centre said.
The two rulings — first halting the tariffs and then staying that decision — came within 24 hours, highlighting the turbulent nature of Trump’s economic policy landscape.
On Wednesday evening, CIT judges blocked all tariffs imposed under IEEPA — including the “Liberation Day” tariffs Trump announced on April 2, as well as earlier tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada aimed at curbing fentanyl imports. Notably, the decision did not affect the 25 percent tariffs on automobiles, auto parts, steel or aluminium, which fall under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.
The CIT delivered a summary judgment on two related cases in a single opinion. One lawsuit, filed in April by the Liberty Justice Centre, represented wine importer VOS Selections and four other small businesses. The second was brought by twelve Democrat-led states challenging the tariffs. The court also gave the administration ten calendar days to lift the tariffs in question.
The Trump administration filed an appeal within hours of the ruling. On Thursday, it warned it would escalate the case to the Supreme Court if neither the appeals court nor the CIT granted a stay.
On Thursday afternoon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sharply criticised the CIT’s decision, describing the three-judge panel as “activist judges” — despite one having been appointed by Trump himself during his first term. She accused the court of “brazenly abusing their judicial power to undermine President Trump’s authority”.
