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2025-08-01 04:42:14
The legality of US President Trump's sweeping global tariffs faces a test. A US federal appeals court held a hearing on Thursday, the day before higher tariffs on several countries were set to take effect. A panel of 11 judges took turns questioning a senior US Department of Justice official. The questioning focused on the Trump administration's claim that the US's persistent trade deficit constitutes a national emergency, allowing the president to bypass Congress and impose tariffs on countries around the world. Brett Shumate, head of the US Department of Justice's civil division, stated at the hearing that Trump's tariff policy is intended to address "the consequences of our growing trade deficit" and enable the president to "put pressure on other countries." He also added that Trump believes the trade deficit has soared to a "critical point." (Refinitiv)
