WHAT:
Today, Friday, April 10, at 10 a.m. EDT, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) will hear oral arguments in the case of Burlap and Barrel, Inc. v. Trump. This case challenges President Trump’s attempt to reimpose broad global tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision striking down the prior tariff regime imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Following arguments, The Liberty Justice Center will host a 2 p.m. EDT media roundtable via Zoom.
WHERE TO ATTEND/LISTEN TO CIT HEARING:
U.S. Court of International Trade
Ceremonial Courtroom
1 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
HOW TO ATTEND/LISTEN TO CIT HEARING:
The courtroom will be open to the public on a first come, first serve basis. For questions about media access, contact the Clerk’s Office at (212) 264-2800.
An audio feed of the proceeding will be available via a YouTube livestream. The link for this livestream is available on the court’s website under Upcoming Court Proceedings Accessible via Teleconference or Audio Streaming: https://www.cit.uscourts.gov/upcoming-court-proceedings-accessible-teleconference-or-audio-livestream.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN MEDIA ROUNDTABLE:
Following oral arguments, Liberty Justice Center will host a media roundtable this afternoon at 2:00 pm EDT. Members of the press can register here.
WHO:
- Jeffrey Schwab, Senior Counsel and Director of Litigation, Liberty Justice Center
- Sara Albrecht, Chairman, Liberty Justice Center
- Lead plaintiffs, Ethan Frisch and Ori Zohar, Co-Founders & Co-CEOs of Burlap and Barrel, Inc.
ISSUE BACKGROUND:
On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court held that the IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs in the landmark case V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump. Following this decision, the administration announced a new plan: a global tariff beginning at 10 percent imposed under Section 122 and justified as a response to alleged “fundamental international payments problems” and “large and serious United States balance‑of‑payments deficits.”
The Liberty Justice Center responded by filing Burlap and Barrel, Inc. v. Trump on March 9, 2026, which centers on the fundamental constitutional dispute regarding whether the President or Congress holds the authority to impose tariffs on the American people. The Liberty Justice Center is once again representing American businesses, like Burlap & Barrel and Basic Fun!, who shoulder the financial burden of this administration overstepping its executive boundaries by reinterpreting Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.
While this statute allows for temporary tariffs during genuine international financial emergencies, no such emergency exists and the administration is unlawfully using long-standing trade deficits as a pretext to bypass congressional approval and impose sweeping taxes on imports. Such an interpretation would dramatically expand presidential power, permitting future leaders to bypass democratic accountability by simply redefining ordinary economic conditions as a “crisis.”
For the American businesses, the stakes are both practical and existential, as these tariffs threaten to disrupt global supply chains, increase prices for American families, and jeopardize domestic jobs. The power to tax remains exclusively with Congress and the Liberty Justice Center will protect the constitutional separation of powers and the rule of law.