The Trump administration has vowed to escalate its legal battle over import tariffs to the U.S. Supreme Court after a federal court overturned key portions of its sweeping duties on foreign goods. Following the decision, the administration immediately filed for an emergency stay and plans to continue the fight to uphold the tariffs.
White House Press Secretary Karine Leavitt expressed strong disapproval of the ruling during a Thursday press briefing, stating:
“We will win this battle in court,” Leavitt declared, adding that the administration is working to “tackle rogue judges.”
When asked how ongoing legal disputes might affect international trade negotiations, Leavitt said the U.S. Trade Ambassador had received confirmation from partner countries that they will continue working with Washington.
During the same briefing, Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump had a phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to discuss tariff-related matters. She also said that key cabinet officials—Secretary Lutnick, Secretary Bessent, and Ambassador Jamieson Greer—have reached out to global counterparts to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to trade talks.
“Countries around the world have faith in the negotiator in chief, President Donald J. Trump. And they also probably see how ridiculous this ruling is, and they understand the administration is going to win,” Leavitt said.
“We already filed an emergency appeal, and we expect to fight this battle all the way to the Supreme Court,” she added.
The court’s ruling marked a major blow to Trump’s economic strategy, finding that he had overstepped his legal authority in imposing certain tariffs. These rulings have been hailed as victories by small businesses and state governments that challenged the administration’s trade policies.
Leavitt condemned the judgment as an example of “judicial overreach,” arguing that Trump’s tariffs were implemented to address trade deficits and were both “legally sound” and “long overdue.”
In parallel to the domestic legal battle, the U.S. is preparing for its next round of trade negotiations with India on June 5-6, aimed at finalizing a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). If successful, the deal could strengthen economic ties between the two nations.
However, Ray Vickery, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Development, warned that a deal might be difficult to achieve due to Washington’s aggressive tactics.
“In Trump, 1.0, there was a negotiation that came close to getting a freer trade, not a free trade arrangement between the United States and India. One hopes that that would happen, but it’s not going to happen with this bullying approach, which the Trump administration has indicated,” Vickery told media.
President Trump has previously claimed that the U.S. helped mediate a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, asserting the U.S. offered “a lot of trade” to both nations. However, India has refuted this, clarifying that the ceasefire was reached directly between the two militaries after India destroyed nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor.
Vickery also criticized the administration’s view of trade deficits, stating:
“The Trump administration has a misunderstanding in regard to trade deficits. Trade deficits are not necessarily something imposed just by unfair trade practices by another country, but they have to do with the United States’ own saving and spending habits.”