WASHINGTON - A US federal court blocked most of Donald Trump's sweeping import tariffs from going into effect, ruling that the president had overstepped his authority with the across-the-board global levies.
The opinion marks a significant setback to the Republican leader as he bids to redraw the US trading relationship with the world by forcing governments to the negotiating table through tough new levies.
Trump's global trade war has roiled financial markets with a stop-start rollout of levies that are aimed at punishing economies that sell more to the United States than they buy.
But the three-judge Court of International Trade effectively called a ceasefire, barring most of the restrictions that the president has announced since taking office.
The White House slammed the ruling, arguing that "unelected judges" have no right to weigh in on Trump's actions to address what the administration frames as a "national emergency."
"President Trump pledged to put America first, and the administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American greatness," said Trump's spokesman Kush Desai.
The statement did not mention any legal challenge, although multiple US outlets said the Trump administration had already filed an appeal.
One of Trump's closest White House aides, Stephen Miller, was less diplomatic as he took to social media to decry a "judicial coup" that he said was "out of control."
Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs on most trading partners on April 2, with a baseline 10 percent, plus steeper duties on dozens of economies, including China and the European Union.
The ruling also quashes duties that Trump imposed on Canada, Mexico and China separately using emergency powers.
Markets were thrown into turmoil but calmed after he paused the larger tariffs for 90 days. He also suspended some of the higher duties pending negotiations with individual countries and blocs.