Report: Trump Planning Economic Emergency Declaration to Justify Tariffs
The Facts
CNN on Wednesday reported that sources say Pres.-elect Donald Trump is weighing whether to declare a national economic emergency when he takes office in order to legally justify implementing large universal tariffs on goods from both allied and adversarial countries.
Trump, who will be inaugurated Jan. 20, would be empowered to do this by the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA), which unilaterally gives the president the power to manage imports during a national emergency.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Donald Trump seems determined to antagonize the entire global community — friend or foe — before he even takes office. This reported plan, in addition to his threats about taking back the Panama Canal and acquiring Greenland, has inspired a worldwide backlash. Unfortunately for Trump, he's also already harming the US economy.
Republican narrative
Trump's not in office yet and his tariff threats are already having their desired impact, as evidenced by Mexico's better cracking down on the flow of illegal migrants to the US. Whatever Trump has to do moving forward — in terms of implementing tariffs — should be done to make sure other countries aren't taking advantage of the US.
