Washington.The US Supreme Court, in a historic decision, has struck down the sweeping trade tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump as unconstitutional. The Court clearly stated that the President had overstepped his constitutional and legal limits by imposing such a massive tax without the mandatory approval of Congress. At the center of this legal battle was Indian-American lawyer Neel Katyal, who directly challenged the powers of the President. Former Acting Solicitor General Neel Katyal argued in court that Trump had misused the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 to impose unfair and illegal taxes on goods coming from almost every trading partner country. After the decision, Katyal called it a victory for the Constitution and said that in America the President may be powerful, but the Constitution is supreme and only the Congress elected by the people has the right to impose taxes.
Katyal was joined in this important case by another Indian-American legal expert, Pratik Shah, who heads Supreme Court cases at Akin Gump. Shah, representing educational toy companies such as Learning Resources and Hand to Mind, argued that the President’s executive powers cannot be unlimited. Neel Katyal is a name in the legal world of America who has argued in more than 50 cases in the Supreme Court so far. Born in Chicago to Indian immigrant parents, Katyal attended Yale Law School and learned constitutional nuances under the guidance of renowned expert Akhil Amar. He has been recognized as a lawyer who has stood firm in court against the President’s controversial policies, such as the travel ban on Muslim countries and rapid deportation efforts. His family also has deep involvement in the academic and legal worlds; His sister Sonia Katyal is a law professor, while his mentor Akhil Amar and his brother Vikram Amar are eminent names in the field of law.
President Donald Trump has reacted sharply to this decision of the court. He criticized the judges who voted against the tariffs, calling the decision absurd. Trump made it clear that he is not going to back down from this legal hurdle and has announced a new and aggressive strategy to raise revenue. Immediately after the court’s decision, Trump signed a document imposing a new global tariff of 10 percent on goods imported from all countries. He announced that this new tariff will take effect immediately, which is essential to furthering his America First trade agenda. This move by Trump has once again created a stir in the international trade market and legal circles, indicating a new legal and diplomatic conflict in the times to come.
