SCOTUS ‘Must Put An End’ To Tariff Blockage, White House Says

The White House is banking on the highest court in the land to save President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on foreign nations that were blocked by a trio of judges in an ongoing legal fight this week.

“These judges are threatening to undermine the credibility of the United States on the world stage,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters in a briefing on Thursday, adding moments later, “Ultimately, the Supreme Court must put an end to this, for the sake of our Constitution and our country.”

.@PressSec: “Last night the Trump administration faced another example of judicial overreach…Three judges of the U.S. Court of international trade…brazenly abused their judicial power to usurp the authority of President Trump…the courts should have no role here.” pic.twitter.com/NchnASHzJP

— CSPAN (@cspan) May 29, 2025

On Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the New York-based Court of International Trade rejected Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) and struck down his sweeping levies on imports from countries around the world.

The Trump administration is challenging the ruling and says it “plans to seek emergency relief from the Supreme Court” on Friday “to avoid irreparable national-security and economic harms at stake” if a federal appeals court does not provide interim relief.

Leavitt said the U.S. Court of International Trade judges “abused their judicial power to usurp the authority of President Trump” and “failed to acknowledge that the President of the United States has core foreign affairs powers and authority given to him by Congress to protect the United States economy and national security.”

Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships

After the Republican-led Senate rejected last month a resolution spearheaded by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) to stop the national emergency declaration that Trump used to impose his “Liberation Day” tariffs, the courts “should have no role here,” Leavitt insisted.

“America cannot function if President Trump, or any other president for that matter, has their sensitive diplomatic or trade negotiations railroaded by activist judges,” Leavitt said, alluding to negotiations the U.S. is having with other nations to strike trade deals.

There are more hurdles ahead for the Trump administration. Another federal judge issued a ruling on Thursday, around when Leavitt spoke to reporters, that placed a stoppage on the president’s tariffs.

In a post on X, Sen. Paul said, “I have said time and time again that the Founders wanted to prevent one person from having unilateral control and decision-making powers. That’s why the power of the purse and the ability to tax lie with Congress, not the president.”