Author: Kate Nuechterlein.
(WVIR | 29 News)—A U.S. appeals court is now considering whether President Donald Trump had the constitutional authority to impose the sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs on various nations across the world.
The federal court heard oral arguments Thursday, as part of the V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump case.
The Liberty Justice Center originally launched the lawsuit against the Trump administration in April, on behalf of five small businesses, including one right here in Charlottesville: MicroKits, which sells electronic STEM kits out of its workspace on E. Market Street.
“These last few months, I’ve had to stop production and have lost the ability to make thousands of science kits that now won’t be made and delivered to kids this Christmas,” MicroKits owner David Levi said on Thursday. “It’s great that I’ve been part of this case. It’s given me a lot of hope that hopefully soon we can move forward.”
The Trump administration appealed a decision by a lower court that would have blocked the tariffs back in late May.
29News reached out to the Department of Justice’s Office of Public Affairs for comment on the oral arguments, and was referred to Attorney General Pam Bondi’s post on X:
“This morning, my @TheJusticeDept attorneys are going to court to defend President Trump’s tariffs — which are transforming the global economy, protecting our national security, and addressing the consequences of our exploding trade deficit,” Bondi wrote. “We will continue to defend President Trump’s executive authority in courtrooms across the country.”
There is no specific timeline for when the federal appeals court will release its decision.