Court says Trump can continue tariffs as he appeals ruling in case brought by Arizona's Mayes

A federal appeals court is allowing President Donald Trump to continue collecting tariffs under an emergency powers law for now, as his administration appeals an order striking down the bulk of his signature set of economic policies.

The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted an emergency motion Thursday from the Trump administration arguing that a halt is “critical for the country’s national security.” The appeals court temporarily halted the order from a federal trade court issued a day before.

Trump is facing several lawsuits arguing Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs exceeded his authority and left the country’s trade policy dependent on his whims. One of the suits was brought in part by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.

The Trump administration has argued that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act gave the president the power to impose tariffs without congressional approval in an effort to reverse America’s longstanding trade deficits.

Mayes co-led a multistate lawsuit challenging Trump’s power to unilaterally impose those tariffs. It was one of at least seven lawsuits challenging Trump’s taxes on imports.

A three-judge panel on the Court of International Trade in New York blocked the tariffs Wednesday, finding that Trump exceeded his authority.

The panel found the federal law did not give the president "unbounded authority to impose tariffs on nearly every country in the world."

In a statement, Mayes said the tariffs were poised to devastate Arizona’s economy.