White House Has Backup Strategy If Trump’s Tariffs Are Overturned: Bessent

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is preparing a legal brief for the U.S. solicitor general.
White House Has Backup Strategy If Trump’s Tariffs Are Overturned: Bessent
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters during a briefing at the White House on April 29, 2025. Travis Gillmore/The Epoch Times
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the White House has plenty of tools at its disposal to implement President Donald Trump’s global tariffs if the Supreme Court does not uphold his use of a 1977 emergency powers law.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled 7–4 on Aug. 29 against the current administration’s decision to invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) as justification for levies on foreign goods unveiled in April. The court’s decision does not take effect until Oct. 14, allowing the White House ample time to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

Andrew Moran
Andrew Moran
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Andrew Moran has been writing about business, economics, and finance for more than a decade. He is the author of "The War on Cash."