Washington: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has secured a brief reprieve as an appeals court temporarily blocked a federal court order that challenged the legality of his controversial tariff policies. The decision effectively pauses the enforcement of a prior ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade in Manhattan, which had directed that several tariffs imposed during Trump’s administration be rescinded within ten days.

The initial ruling came from a three-judge panel, which declared that the additional tariffs levied by the Trump administration on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico exceeded presidential authority. The panel’s decision targeted several key tariffs: a 10% base duty applied to goods from all nations (announced on April 2), a 30% levy on Chinese imports, and a 25% duty on products from Canada and Mexico.

The panel criticized the tariff measures as an overreach, asserting that the executive branch does not possess unilateral authority to impose such widespread trade penalties. It labeled the actions a "misuse of power" and argued that the president had bypassed the proper constitutional and legislative processes required for such economic interventions.

However, the appeals court’s stay of the ruling means the tariffs remain in place for now, pending a full hearing scheduled for June 9. The pause gives Trump and his legal team a moment of relief amid ongoing legal and political scrutiny over his trade legacy.

The outcome of the upcoming hearing could carry significant implications not only for Trump’s broader trade agenda but also for future presidential powers in setting international economic policy.