Trump administration seeks pause after losing second tariff case, says decision jeopardizes trade negotiations [Video]

The Trump administration on Monday asked a U.S. appeals court to pause a second court ruling that found the president had exceeded his authority by imposing sweeping tariffs on imports, saying the decision jeopardizes trade negotiations with other nations.

Trump’s tariffs were first declared illegal by the Manhattan-based U.S. Court of International Trade on May 28. A federal court in Washington, D.C. followed with a second ruling the next day, which also found that the tariffs exceeded the president’s authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a law intended to address “unusual and extraordinary” threats during national emergencies.

The lawsuits which led to those rulings challenged Trump’s use of the law to justify the so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs on imports imposed in early April on most U.S trading partners, as well as a separate set of tariffs levied on China, Mexico and Canada in February. The latter are related to his accusation …