Beyond the call for duties
The US, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Japan, and Samoa.
The five things you need to know today:
UNITED STATES. Trump now has an excuse to ditch a disastrous policy.
UKRAINE. RUSSIA. As allies wash their hands, Kyiv prepares for talks.
TURKEY. Erdogan gets ready for a new chapter.
JAPAN. Tokyo finds a short-term solution to a long-term problem.
SAMOA. Political infighting, an early election, and Chinese money.
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UNITED STATES. Deliberation day
Trump now has an excuse to ditch a disastrous policy.
The Court of International Trade blocked most of the Trump administration's duties Wednesday, ruling its use of tariffs under the IEEPA Act was unlawful. The White House questioned the authority of "unelected" judges and filed an appeal.
INTELLIGENCE. The court’s three-judge panel (one appointed by Trump, another by Reagan) ruled the International Emergency Economic Powers Act for blanket tariffs (e.g., fentanyl, reciprocal) was impermissible under law. Industry-specific actions under sections 232 and 301 of the Trade Expansion and US Trade Acts were not addressed. Trump will appeal, but if higher courts agree, it will risk a precedent for even broader constraints on delegated trade authority.
FOR BUSINESS. The CIT's judgments were grounded in a defensible interpretation of the statute and prevailing separation-of-powers jurisprudence. Trump will be better off seeking more targeted actions under 232 or 301, or using the ruling as a face-saving excuse to drop the tariffs entirely (e.g., “blame those unelected deep-state globalists”). Advisers like Scott Bessent will nudge him in this direction, as will the markets, which have sharply rallied.
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UKRAINE. RUSSIA. Getting the memo
As allies wash their hands, Kyiv prepares for talks.
Russia proposed to hold the next round of peace talks on Monday in Istanbul. Reuters said Moscow would use it to hand over a "peace memorandum" demanding an end to NATO expansion. Donald Trump demurred on further sanctions.
INTELLIGENCE. Trump said Wednesday Ukraine was close to a deal and he didn't "want to screw it up". That may be
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