In response to a federal appeals court decision that found President Donald Trump's tariffs "illegal," Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks asked House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring forward his resolution that seeks to terminate the tariffs.
Emphasizing the court's holding that IEEPA does not authorize Trump to impose the tariffs, Meeks asked Speaker Johnson to end covering up "Trump's lawlessness."
"Both trial & appeals courts informed Trump that his tariffs are unlawful, which I contended in amicus briefs with my colleagues. I note that IEEPA is not a tariff law. Speaker Johnson needs to stop protecting Trump's lawlessness & bring my bills to the floor to close the tariffs," Meeks stated.
The statement follows a federal appeals court decision affirming that the IEEPA does not permit a president to impose tariffs such as those imposed by Trump in the early part of this year. The Federal Circuit, in an unpublished opinion, affirmed a lower-court ruling against the tariffs.
Judges underscored that Trump's record-breaking tariffs went beyond his authority, inasmuch as the authority to impose taxes, including tariffs, is "a core Congressional power" held by the legislative branch, according to CNN.
Even after the ruling, Donald Trump insisted that all tariffs on the targeted nations would still stand, slamming the court as a "highly Partisan Appeals Court."
"ALL TARIFFS REMAIN IN PLACE! Today, a Highly Partisan Appeals Court unjustly stated that our Tariffs must be eliminated, but they understand the United States of America will prevail in the end. If these Tariffs ever disappear, it would be an absolute disaster for the Country. It would make us weak at the money, and we need to be strong," Trump stated.
Trump had declared a wide range of new tariffs on April 2, leveling about 60 nations or trade blocs with substantial trade deficits against the U.S., the largest tariff increase in almost a century. He called the declaration "Liberation Day."
India was one of the nations targeted, with a 25 percent tariff on its products and a further 25 percent fine for buying Russian crude oil, making it 50 percent.
A recent Jefferies report from American investment bank assessed that the high tariffs on Indian products are primarily due to President Trump's "personal pique" over not being offered a role in brokering the India-Pakistan dispute.
The report added that the American president had been said to have desired to step in after the four-day armed conflict between the two nations in May.
It added that "tariffs are mainly the result of the American president's 'personal pique' he was not permitted to play a role in trying to bring an end to the long-standing bitterness between India and Pakistan."
India has always asserted that it does not accept third-party intervention in its conflict with Pakistan. (ANI)
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