President Donald Trump’s economic team remains steadfast in its tariff strategy, undeterred by a recent federal trade court ruling that deemed many of the administration’s tariffs illegal.
Top advisers emphasized alternative legal authorities to sustain the president’s trade agenda, which aims to pressure nations like China into negotiations.
Last week, a federal trade court ruled that President Trump misused emergency economic powers to impose widespread tariffs, a decision that threatened to halt duties central to his global trade strategy.
However, an appeals court granted a temporary pause, allowing the administration to pursue its case, likely headed to the Supreme Court.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, appearing on Fox News Sunday, dismissed the ruling’s impact, stating, “Rest assured, tariffs are not going away.”
He downplayed the setback, noting it “cost us a week, maybe,” and expressed confidence in securing “first-class deals.”
On Friday, Trump announced a doubling of tariffs on imported steel to 50%, a move that could raise costs for American consumers and affect industries like construction.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, on CBS’s Face the Nation, defended the steel tariffs, saying they protect American jobs but acknowledged uncertainty about their impact on the construction sector, which he called a “very complicated ecosystem.”
Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, emphasized national security, stating on ABC’s This Week, “We have to have a steel industry that’s ready for American defense.”
The administration’s tariff approach has strained talks with trading partners.
Despite earlier promises of securing 90 trade deals in 90 days, only a framework with Britain has been announced.
Talks with China have stalled, with Bessent citing Beijing’s restrictions on rare earth mineral exports, saying, “Maybe it’s a glitch in the Chinese system; maybe it’s intentional.”
Lutnick, addressing EU negotiations on Fox News Sunday, dismissed claims of legal uncertainty giving the EU leverage, stating, “All of the countries that are negotiating with us understand the power of Donald Trump and his ability to protect the American worker.”
With the original 90-day tariff pause set to expire in July, Lutnick signaled no extension, saying, “I don’t see today that an extension is coming.”
As the administration navigates legal and diplomatic hurdles, its commitment to tariffs remains a cornerstone of Trump’s economic policy.