See below for reactions from Virginia Democrats – Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08) and Sen. Mark Warner, for starters – to “a ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade vacating and permanently enjoining Donald Trump’s across-the-board tariffs on nearly every country in the world, including his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs and separate tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China.”
P.S. Paul Krugman nails it, writing: “Is There a Dignified Legal Way, Preferably in Latin, to Say “Holy Shit”? A court just threw out Trump’s whole trade agenda”
Beyer Statement On U.S. Court of International Trade Ruling Striking Down Key Trump Tariffs
May 28, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves on the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade and chairs the New Democrat Coalition’s Trade Task Force, issued the following statement on a ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade vacating and permanently enjoining Donald Trump’s across-the-board tariffs on nearly every country in the world, including his “Liberation Day” tariffs and separate tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China:
“This ruling is a major victory for the American people, who have spent months under threat of a stupid, self-imposed economic disaster thanks to Donald Trump’s trade war. Trump’s tariffs have already raised costs on Americans, strained our alliances, hurt our credibility, and threatened the global economy. They’ve driven uncertainty to a peak, hurt our small businesses, and greatly raised the danger of a recession.
“The U.S. Court of International Trade agreed with what I and others have said for months: Trump was clearly abusing emergency authorities in ways not authorized by Congress to impose damaging tariffs on other countries, with obviously pretextual excuses. Abuse of power has been the most consistent theme of Trump’s presidency, including power grabs on immigration, elections, and the structure of the government itself, which are clearly illegal and unconstitutional. Such is the case here.
“It is important to note that while Trump’s broadest tariffs, which he imposed using authorities under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, were just blocked by the Court, but his sector-based tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos, and auto parts are not affected by this ruling and remain in place. Trump has threatened additional tariffs under this authority, known as Section 232, on semiconductor chips, copper, and pharmaceuticals, and he clearly is intent on abusing this power as well. My bill, the Congressional Trade Authority Act, would prevent Trump from abusing this provision, return trade authority to Congress, where it belongs, and stop Trump’s trade war from doing further harm to the United States and the world. Congress should pass it.”
Beyer is the sponsor of the Congressional Trade Authority Act, which would rein in presidential abuses of authorities under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, and the co-lead, with Rep. Suzan DelBene, of legislation to end abuses of International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff authorities.
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Sen. Mark Warner: “The courts are saving the Trump administration from itself and saving American businesses and families from these cruel taxes. If we know anything about this admin, though, they’ll stop at nothing to inflict more cruelty and bad policy. I’ll keep fighting their chaos.”
