Trump Defends 50% Tariffs on India in US Supreme Court Appeal
Trump asks US Supreme Court to uphold 50% tariffs on India over Russian oil, citing national emergency.
The Trump administration urged the US Supreme Court to uphold its imposition of 50 percent tariffs on India, comprising 25 percent reciprocal tariffs and an additional 25 percent penalty for India’s purchases of Russian energy products, effective from August 27, 2025.
In a 251-page appeal filed on September 3, 2025, the administration argued that these tariffs, authorized under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), address a “preexisting national emergency” tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine and are a “crucial aspect” of President Donald Trump’s push for peace in the region.
The appeal follows a 7-to-4 ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on August 27, 2025, which declared Trump’s sweeping global tariffs illegal, granting until October 14, 2025, for a Supreme Court petition. The administration warned that overturning the tariffs would cause “dangerous diplomatic embarrassment,” expose the US to trade retaliation, and jeopardize $2 trillion in trade and investment deals with six major partners and the European Union, secured through tariff negotiations.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized the tariffs as a top foreign policy priority, while officials like Bessent and trade advisor Peter Navarro accused India, the largest buyer of Russian oil after China, of financing Russia’s war efforts.
India has denounced the tariffs as “unjustified and unreasonable,” vowing to take measures to protect its economic security. The escalating trade dispute, with Trump hinting at further “phase two and phase three” sanctions, underscores tensions over India’s energy imports from Russia, complicating US-India relations and raising concerns about global trade stability.
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