Trump Defends Unprecedented Tariffs Amid Legal Challenge

President Donald Trump, during a heated White House press conference, defended his decision to invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping new tariffs in his second term. He argued that his first term was spent countering political opposition and that the COVID-19 pandemic made imposing additional tariffs on allies inappropriate at the time. The new executive order imposes reciprocal tariffs of 10% to 41% on imports from over 70 countries, including a 25% tariff on Indian goods. The use of IEEPA for tariffs, a law typically used for sanctions, is unprecedented and currently under legal scrutiny. The press conference coincided with a federal appellate court hearing arguments on whether Trump exceeded his authority under IEEPA. The legal and economic ramifications of these tariffs remain under judicial review.