President Donald Trump has claimed that the US faces a “national security catastrophe” if the tariffs he introduced against most trading partners this year are ruled illegal.
Trump launched his tariff drive in April, accusing US partners of creating unfair trade imbalances. He described the tariffs as a “reciprocal” measure to secure better trade terms, invoking the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) as the legal basis. The act allows the president to regulate or block international trade and financial transactions during a declared national emergency involving foreign threats. However, the move has drawn criticism from lawmakers who warn it could harm the domestic economy.