A federal trade court's decision to block the extensive tariffs imposed by Trump has been immediately appealed by his administration, and the issue may reach the country's highest court. Previously, both the Supreme Court and federal courts blocked some of Trump's decisions.
A lot of these discussions revolve around the constitutional and who has the right to do what, rather than the actual issue and how high the tariffs should be, says Dag Blanck.
Claims Emergency
In reality, it is Congress that should decide on economic issues, such as taxes and tariffs. But Trump has justified his decisions by claiming an emergency, and so far, the Republican-dominated Congress has not had any major objections.
Does the President have the right to make these decisions and bypass Congress? It's a question of the distribution of power in the USA and the balance between the parts of the American political system. There, we have seen during Trump's time that he constantly tries to strengthen presidential power in different ways, says Dag Blanck.
Trump's Judges
When it comes to the judiciary, Trump appointed three of the judges who now sit on the Supreme Court during his previous term.
He largely sees the judges he has appointed as his judges. They should do as he wants. And it's not self-evident. They should be independent, and there is probably a concern that they are perceived as the President's men or women, says Dag Blanck.
The judges also have their legacy to consider, he believes. Trump will be gone in three years when a new presidential election is to be held, and the judges may be eager to maintain their independence.
