On the eve of President Donald Trump’s August 1 tariff deadline, a federal appeals court is set to hear arguments from U.S. businesses challenging the legality of his sweeping import taxes. The plaintiffs argue that Trump bypassed Congress when he launched the so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs in April, imposing steep duties on foreign goods without legislative approval.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed support for his legal team. “If our Country was not able to protect itself by using tariffs against tariffs, we would be ‘dead,’” he wrote, calling the case “America’s big case today.”
The outcome could have major implications for presidential trade authority. While the White House defends the tariffs as essential to economic security, businesses say they’re suffering under the weight of rising costs and disrupted supply chains.
The court’s decision is unlikely to come before the tariffs formally take effect Thursday.
