Trump asks court to freeze tariff ruling amid import surge fears

The Trump administration asked the U.S. Court of International Trade on Monday to pause its ruling blocking the president’s Section 122 tariffs, warning that even a temporary halt could disrupt trade negotiations and trigger a surge in imports.

In a court declaration, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said suspending the 10% tariff could undermine talks with trading partners.

“If certain key trading partners walk away from the table now, these negotiations may never resume,” Greer wrote, even if the tariffs are ultimately upheld on appeal.

The Section 122 tariffs were imposed after the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in February that Trump’s earlier global tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act were unlawful.

Last week, the Court of International Trade ruled against the administration on the Section 122 tariffs in a case brought by two small businesses and the state of Washington. The ruling applies only to those plaintiffs, meaning the government conti...