US court blocks Trump’s 10% import tariffs as EU trade deadline looms

A US trade court has ruled that President Donald Trump’s 10% tariffs on most imports were unlawful. It is a major setback for his trade agenda.

In a split decision, the Court of International Trade said Trump wrongly used a 1970s law to impose the tariffs in February after an earlier set of duties had been blocked by the Supreme Court. The judges said the law was created for a specific economic crisis linked to the gold standard and did not apply to today’s situation.

The ruling only directly protects the small businesses and states that brought the case, but it could encourage more legal challenges. The court also ordered the government to refund tariffs already paid by the businesses involved. The White House is expected to appeal.

Trump defended his approach and said his administration would continue pursuing new tariffs through other legal routes. Officials are already preparing alternative trade measures that could be introduced later this summer.

The decision comes as trade tensions continue between the US and the European Union. Trump has given the EU until 4 July to fully approve a trade deal agreed last year, warning that US tariffs could rise sharply if the agreement is delayed.

The date carries strong symbolic importance for the White House, as 4 July 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, a milestone Trump and his allies have repeatedly presented as a defining national moment.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Trump that “good progress” was being made towards reducing tariffs by early July. She added that both sides remained committed to the deal.

The two leaders also discussed the Middle East and agreed that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon, according to von der Leyen.

^{© Kent NISHIMURA / AFP}