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Supreme Court kills Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs — but 4 other laws could resurrect them

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The Supreme Court rebuked President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose sweeping «Liberation Day» tariffs, ruling that the Constitution gives Congress — not the president — authority over tariffs.

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But the decision may not be the final word. From the Trade Expansion Act to the Trade Act of 1974 and even Depression-era statutes, multiple legal avenues remain that could allow Trump to reassert aggressive trade powers.

In a 6-3 decision led by George W. Bush-appointed Chief Justice John Roberts, the court ruled that the «framers gave [tariff] power to Congress alone, notwithstanding the obvious foreign affairs implications of tariffs.»

George H.W. Bush-appointed Justice Clarence Thomas, Trump-appointed Justice Brett Kavanaugh and George W. Bush-appointed Justice Samuel Alito dissented.

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SUPREME COURT PREPARES TO CONFRONT MONUMENTAL CASE OVER TRUMP EXECUTIVE POWER AND TARIFF AUTHORITY

A protester holds a sign as the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on President Trump’s tariffs on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

On «Liberation Day» in 2025, Trump cited the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), drafted by former Rep. Jonathan Brewster-Bingham, D-N.Y., to declare an emergency situation in which foreign countries were «ripping off» the U.S.

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With that avenue now closed by Roberts, Trump could try to use the same national security rationale to invoke the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which in part allows the Commerce Department to impose tariffs on «article[s]… imported… in such quantities or under such circumstances as to threaten or impair the national security.»

Unlike the IEEPA, the JFK-era law has been tested in the courts, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has since built on his predecessor Wilbur Ross’ 2018 steel and aluminum tariffs imposed under the act, adding 407 more imports to the tariff list on the grounds that they are «derivative» of the two approved metals.

TRUMP’S OWN SCOTUS PICKS COULD WIND UP HURTING HIM ON TARIFFS

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Trump with tariff board

President Donald Trump shows off non-reciprocal tariff examples. (Mandel Ngan/Getty Images)

During his 2025 confirmation hearing, Lutnick voiced support for a «country by country, macro» approach to tariffs and agreed with the president that the U.S. is «treated horribly by the global trading environment.»

While tariffs imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act are not immediate and require the Commerce Department to conduct a formal investigation, the law provides a court-tested avenue for the president.

In the wake of Friday’s ruling, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and others celebrated the court’s affirmation that Trump cannot use «emergency powers to enact taxes,» but Congress has previously approved another avenue to impose tariffs.

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Then-Rep. Albert Ullman, D-Ore., crafted a bill signed by President Gerald Ford that expressly gave presidents broader authority to impose tariffs: the Trade Act of 1974.

A federal appeals court in September ruled against thousands of companies that challenged tariffs on China imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act.

6 HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEFY TRUMP ON KEY AGENDA ITEM IN DEM-PUSHED VOTE

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In this case, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, a Trump appointee, could seek retaliatory tariffs against countries with unfair trade barriers, according to Global Policy Watch.

An investigation, including negotiations with the targeted countries, would then ensue, and Greer could ultimately be cleared to impose trade restrictions if the probe finds that the U.S. is being denied trade agreement benefits or that such a deal is unjustifiable.

However, in most cases, imposed tariffs sunset after four years, according to reports.

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In Trump’s favor, it could be argued that the same reasoning Roberts used to strike down the IEEPA authority could backfire on tariff opponents because the 1974 law explicitly gives the executive branch trade-restriction authority.

Another section of the Ford-signed law could also be used to unilaterally impose tariffs.

Section 122, the «Balance of Payments» portion of the law, allows Trump to temporarily enforce tariffs or import quotas in certain situations.

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A president may impose tariff duties of up to 15% for 150 days against all or certain countries if they are found to be «maintain[ing] unjustifiable or unreasonable restrictions on U.S. commerce,» according to the Retail Industry Leaders Association.

«This authority is intended to give the executive branch flexibility to respond quickly to trade practices that may harm U.S. economic interests or to correct significant balance-of-payments deficits,» the trade group said in a June report.

However, reports show Section 122 has not been tested in court as extensively, which could lead to lawsuits and legal uncertainty.

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SUPREME COURT RULES ON TRUMP TARIFFS IN MAJOR TEST OF EXECUTIVE BRANCH POWERS

Another potential policy option for Trump is one that drew sharp criticism when President Herbert Hoover signed it against the advice of economists early in the Great Depression.

The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, named for Republican Sen. Reed Smoot of Utah and Rep. Willis Hawley of Oregon, imposed tariffs on tens of thousands of imports in hopes of protecting American producers facing dire economic conditions.

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Hawley’s great-granddaughter, Carey Cezar of Baltimore, told NBC News in 2025 that she voted for Kamala Harris and opposed Trump’s tariffs after her ancestor’s name resurfaced in public discourse.

Other critics of Smoot-Hawley say it is a key reason the Depression was so dire and expansive.

However, the law still provides a mechanism for the Commerce Department to determine when a good is being «dumped» on U.S. consumers or whether a foreign country is unfairly subsidizing an export to the U.S., and to respond with tariffs.

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Additionally, while Trump has imposed tariffs largely on a country-by-country basis, Smoot-Hawley requires that levies be applied on a product-by-product basis.

BESSENT WARNS OF ‘GIGANTIC LOSS’ IF SUPREME COURT STRIPS TRUMP’S EMERGENCY TARIFF POWERS

Chief Justice John Roberts speaking

Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court John Roberts speaks during a lecture to the Georgetown Law School graduating class of 2025, in Washington, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

A fifth avenue that is largely unreachable by Trump is the Fordney-McCumber Tariff Act of 1922.

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Sen. Porter McCumber, R-N.D., and Rep. Joseph Fordney, R-Mich., passed a bill allowing Republican President Warren Harding to impose much higher tariffs than were standard at the time, in hopes of protecting U.S. farmers from a sharp decline in revenue following World War I.

In one of the first contemporary rebukes of protectionism, Fordney-McCumber was criticized for permitting tariffs as high as 50% on countries, including allies, which opponents said had the unintended consequence of hurting America’s ability to service its war debts.

Fordney-McCumber was eventually superseded by Smoot-Hawley, and any remaining provisions are considered obsolete following the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act, signed by President Franklin Roosevelt to undo some of Congress’ trade restrictions.

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The RTAA shifted tariff authority from Congress to the president, granting authority for bilateral negotiations aimed at lowering tariffs at the time.

That dynamic, often called «reciprocity,» is being used in the Trump era not to lower tariffs but to raise them.

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Israelis keep suitcases packed and ready as Trump weighs potential Iran strike decision

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For more than a month, Michal Weits has kept suitcases packed by the front door of her house in Tel Aviv.

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«We have our bags ready for weeks,» she said. «Three weeks ago, there were rumors that it was the night the U.S. would attack Iran. At midnight, we pulled the kids out of their beds and drove to the north, where it is supposed to be safer.»

Weits, the artistic director of the international documentary film festival Docaviv, is speaking from her own traumatic experience. During the 12-day war, an Iranian missile struck her Tel Aviv home. She, her husband, and their two young children were inside the safe room when it collapsed on her.

TRUMP MEETS NETANYAHU, SAYS HE WANTS IRAN DEAL BUT REMINDS TEHRAN OF ‘MIDNIGHT HAMMER’ OPERATION

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Eyal, husband of Michal Weits, holds their daughter in front of the rubble of their Tel Aviv home after it was struck by an Iranian missile during the 12-day war. (Michal Weits)

«After an Iranian missile hit our home and we lost everything we had, we also lost the feeling of ‘it won’t happen to me,’» she said. «We are prepared, as much as it’s really possible.»

Weits remembers the surreal contrast of those days. Four days after being injured in the missile strike, while still in the hospital, she was told she had won an Emmy Award for the documentary she produced about the Nova massacre on Oct. 7.

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«Four days earlier an 800-kilogram explosive missile fell on our home and I was injured, and four days later I woke up on my birthday to news that I had won an Emmy,» she said. «It can’t be more surreal than this. That is the experience of being Israeli, from zero to one hundred.»

Michal Weits after being injured in an Iranian missile

Michal Weits after being injured in an Iranian missile strike that hit her Tel Aviv home during the 12-day war. (Michal Weits)

She says Israelis have learned to live inside that swing. «Inside all of this, life continues,» she said. «Kids go to school, you go to the supermarket, Purim arrives and you prepare, and you don’t know if any of it will actually happen. We didn’t make plans for this weekend because we don’t know what will happen.»

That gap — between visible routine and private fear — defines this moment. The fear she describes is now part of the national atmosphere.

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MORNING GLORY: WHAT WILL PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP DECIDE TO DO WITH IRAN?

Direct Iranian missile strike during the 12-day war.

The Weits family home in Tel Aviv after it was destroyed by a direct Iranian missile strike during the 12-day war. (Michal Weits)

On the surface, Israel looks normal. The beaches are crowded in the warm weather. Cafés are full. The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange has risen in recent days. Children go to school as Israelis prepare for the Jewish holiday of Purim and costumes are being prepared.

But inside homes and across local news broadcasts, one question dominates: when will it happen? When will President Donald Trump decide whether to strike Iran — and what will that mean for Israel?

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the Home Front Command and emergency services to prepare for possible escalation, with Israeli media reporting a state of «maximum alert» across security bodies.

Speaking at an officer graduation ceremony this week, Netanyahu warned Tehran: «If the ayatollahs make a mistake and attack us, they will face a response they cannot even imagine.» He added that Israel is «prepared for any scenario.»

The military message was echoed by the IDF. «We are monitoring regional developments and are aware of the public discourse regarding Iran,» IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said. «The IDF remains vigilant in defense, our eyes are open in every direction and our readiness in response to any change in the operational reality is greater than ever.»

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TRUMP VOWS TO ‘KNOCK THE HELL OUT OF’ IRAN IF NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS REBUILT AGAIN AFTER HIGH-STAKES MEETING

Michal Weits with Emmy Award for the documentary

Four days after being injured in an Iranian missile strike, Michal Weits received an Emmy Award for the documentary «We Will Dance Again» about the Nova festival massacre on Oct. 7. (Michal Weits)

Yet the psychological shift inside Israel goes deeper than official statements.

For years, Israelis lived with rockets from Hamas. The Iranian strikes felt different.

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«The level of destruction from Iran was something Israelis had not experienced before,» said Israeli Iran expert Benny Sabti. «People are used to rockets from Gaza. This was a different scale of damage. It created real anxiety.»

Iron Dome, long seen as nearly impenetrable, was less effective against heavier Iranian missiles. Buildings collapsed. Entire neighborhoods were damaged.

«People are still traumatized,» Sabti said. «They are living on the edge for a long time now.»

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At the same time, he stressed that the country is better prepared today.

«There are feelings, and there are facts,» Sabti said. «The facts are that Israel is better prepared now. The military level is doing serious preparation. They learned from the last round.»

The earlier wave of protests inside Iran had sparked hope in Israel that internal pressure might weaken or topple the regime. Weits told Fox News Digital, «I am angry at the Iranian government, not the Iranian people. I will be the first to travel there when it’s possible. I hope they will be able to be free — that all of us will be able to be free.»

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Overhead view of a destroyed building in Israel

Destroyed residential buildings that were hit by a missile fired from Iran is seen in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, Israel on Saturday, June 14, 2025.  (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Despite losing her home and suffering hearing damage from the blast, she says the greater loss was psychological. «There is no more complacency,» she said. «The ‘it won’t happen to me’ feeling is gone.»

Across Israel, that sentiment resonates.

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Colombia: un fallo electoral divide a la izquierda y debilita la candidatura del “delfín” de Gustavo Petro

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A poco más de tres meses de las elecciones presidenciales, la izquierda colombiana corre riesgo de una inesperada división que debilite sus posibilidades de seguir en el poder otros cuatro años ante el avance de los conservadores y la derecha radical.

No se trata de una pelea interna entre facciones rivales o la negativa a conformar una coalición fuerte que busque la reelección del proyecto encarnado por el presidente Gustavo Petro, que no puede aspirar a su reelección inmediata, prohibida por la Constitución. La izquierda simplemente fue sacudida por una decisión del Congreso Nacional Electoral (CNE).

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En una polémica decisión, el CNE le impidió al senador Iván Cepeda, el candidato presidencial elegido por Petro, participar en la consulta del 8 de marzo en la que las distintas fuerzas o coaliciones elegirán a sus postulantes.

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¿El motivo? Cepeda ya participó y ganó la interna de la coalición conocida como Pacto Histórico de Petro en octubre. Por eso quedó excluido de presentarse en los comicios en que una amplia coalición de partidos progresistas y de izquierda elegirá a su candidato presidencial.

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En síntesis, Cepeda puede ser candidato presidencial en las elecciones del 31 de mayo por el Pacto Histórico, pero no por el Frente de Izquierda nacional.

¿Qué va a pasar ahora con la izquierda colombiana?

En la consulta izquierdista de marzo, en la que también se renovará el Congreso, ya anunciaron su participación el exsenador Roy Barreras y el exministro del Interior, Juan Fernando Cristo. Pero Cepeda, de 65 años y figura histórica de los organismos de derechos humanos, es mucho más popular que ambos, según los últimos sondeos.

“Cepeda sale como candidato de la consulta del Pacto Histórico en octubre pasado, con algo más de millón y medio de votos por su candidatura. El Consejo Nacional Electoral considera que fue una consulta entre partidos, y no de un solo partido, que sería la consideración para que el ganador pudiera ir ahora el 8 de marzo a una consulta interpartidista para elegir el candidato del Frente de Izquierda. Así que lo sacaron de esta próxima consulta”, resumió a TN el consultor político argentino Ángel Beccassino, que reside desde hace más de 30 años en Colombia.

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El presidente colombiano Gustavo Petro. (Foto: José Luis Magana/AP)

Según afirmó, “el grupo de izquierda dura que respalda a Cepeda quiso que no se hiciera esta consulta, y que los que iban a participar en ella, en particular Roy Barreras, se bajaran y adhirieran a la candidatura suya directo a primera vuelta”.

“Pero esto no pasó. Petro ha dado muchas señales de respaldar la candidatura de Cepeda, e incluso dijo que él no iba a votar por la consulta del Frente de Izquierda el 8 de marzo, sino directamente en primera vuelta”, indicó.

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Beccassino aseguró que esta situación pone a la izquiera bajo el peligro de una escisión.

“Es el riesgo. La apuesta es a que si Roy Barreras saca el 8 de marzo más de 3 millones de votos, lo cual es probable, Petro va a modificar su posición y ahí es probable que Cepeda decline alegando su situación de salud”, sostuvo.

Leé también: Cocinan de madrugada y a leña: así sobrevive una familia de Cuba en medio del apagón interminable

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Cepeda, hijo del asesinado dirigente Manuel Cepeda Vargas, fue sometido a una intervención quirúrgica por un cáncer de hígado hace unos años.

El candidato de Petro, una figura histórica de la izquierda colombiana, ha sido facilitador del proceso de paz con la guerrilla de las FARC y copresidente de la Comisión de Paz del Senado. “Es un exmilitante del Partido Comunista, con formación en Bulgaria durante la época del bloque soviético, con alguna cercanía en su momento con las FARC”, dijo Beccassino.

La izquierda tendrá como principal rival a un candidato que rompe al molde de la política tradicional, el ultraderechista Abelardo de la Espriella, “el Javier Milei colombiano”, que ya anunció que se presentará solo a las elecciones y no participará en la consulta de los tradicionales conservadores colombianos.

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Cepeda y De la Espriella lideran los últimos sondeos de cara a las elecciones del 31 de mayo. Un eventual balotaje entre ambos se realizaría el 21 de junio.

Colombia, Gustavo Petro, Sumario

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India y Brasil firmaron un memorándum sobre minerales críticos y tierras raras en Nueva Delhi

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El presidente de Brasil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, y el primer ministro de la India, Narendra Modi (REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes/Archivo)

India y Brasil firmaron este sábado un acuerdo sobre minerales críticos y tierras raras, según anunció el primer ministro indio, Narendra Modi, tras mantener conversaciones en Nueva Delhi con el presidente brasileño, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Modi calificó el acuerdo como “un paso importante hacia la construcción de cadenas de suministro resilientes”. Ambos mandatarios mantuvieron conversaciones en busca de un fortalecimiento en la cooperación del sector estratégico.

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Brasil posee la segunda mayor reserva mundial de estos elementos, esenciales en industrias que van desde vehículos eléctricos y paneles solares hasta teléfonos inteligentes, motores a reacción y misiles guiados.

India busca reducir su dependencia de China, principal exportador global de tierras raras, por lo que impulsó la producción interna, el reciclaje y la búsqueda de nuevos proveedores. En este contexto, la alianza con Brasil adquiere especial relevancia.

Lula llegó a Nueva Delhi acompañado por una delegación de ministros y líderes empresariales para participar en una cumbre mundial. El sábado recibió una bienvenida ceremonial y rindió homenaje a Mahatma Gandhi antes de reunirse con Modi. Los funcionarios confirmaron que ambos líderes firmaron un memorando sobre minerales críticos y analizaron iniciativas para incrementar los lazos comerciales.

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Lula da Silva se reunió
Lula da Silva se reunió con Narendra Modi y firmaron un memorándum sobre minerales críticos (EFE)

India ya figura como el décimo mayor mercado para las exportaciones brasileñas, con un comercio bilateral que superará los USD 15.000 millones en 2025. Ambos países se han fijado como objetivo alcanzar los USD 20.000 millones en 2030.

Ante el dominio de China en la producción de tierras raras, varias naciones buscan diversificar sus fuentes. Rishabh Jain, del Consejo de Energía, Medio Ambiente y Agua de Delhi, señaló que la cooperación de India con Brasil en minerales críticos complementa acuerdos recientes con Estados Unidos, Francia y la Unión Europea.

Si bien estas alianzas otorgan acceso a tecnología avanzada y capacidades de procesamiento, “las alianzas del Sur Global son fundamentales para asegurar un acceso diversificado a recursos locales y dar forma a las reglas emergentes del comercio global”, afirmó Jain.

Se esperaba que el primer ministro indio y el presidente brasileño también abordaran en sus conversaciones los obstáculos económicos mundiales y las tensiones en los sistemas comerciales multilaterales, especialmente tras verse ambos países afectados por los aranceles estadounidenses en 2025, lo que llevó a los dos líderes a pedir una cooperación más estrecha.

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Desde entonces, Washington se ha comprometido a reducir los gravámenes sobre productos indios en virtud de un acuerdo comercial anunciado a principios de este mes.

“Lula y Modi tendrán ocasión de intercambiar puntos de vista sobre la situación mundial y, en particular, sobre los desafíos que atraviesa el multilateralismo y el comercio internacional”, afirmó Susan Kleebank, secretaria para Asia y el Pacífico de la Cancillería brasileña.

El presidente de Brasil, Luiz
El presidente de Brasil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, habla durante una rueda de prensa en un hotel tras la Cumbre del G20, en Nueva Delhi, India, 11 de septiembre de 2023 (REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis)

Brasil es el mayor socio de India en América Latina. Entre las principales exportaciones brasileñas hacia India destacan el azúcar, el petróleo, los aceites vegetales, el algodón y el mineral de hierro, cuya demanda se ha incrementado debido al rápido desarrollo de las infraestructuras y el crecimiento industrial de India, que podría convertirse en la cuarta economía mundial.

Empresas brasileñas también se están expandiendo en India. En enero, el grupo Adani y Embraer firmaron un acuerdo para la fabricación de helicópteros.

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Durante la cumbre sobre inteligencia artificial AI Impact en Nueva Delhi, Lula reclamó la creación de un programa de gobernanza mundial multilateral e inclusivo para la IA. Tras su visita a India, el presidente brasileño viajará a Corea del Sur, donde se reunirá con el presidente Lee Jae-myung y participará en un foro de negocios Brasil-Corea del Sur.

(Con información de AFP)

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