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IEEPA

International Emergency Economic Powers Act (1977)

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act was enacted by the US Congress in 1977 to grant the President authority to regulate international commerce in response to an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to national security, foreign policy, or the economy. It was historically used for financial sanctions, not tariffs.

Key details
  • Enacted: 1977, as a reform of the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917
  • Presidential powers under IEEPA: Investigate, regulate, or prohibit any transactions in foreign exchange; block foreign-owned property; impose sanctions on foreign persons and entities
  • Historical use: Primarily for economic sanctions (Iran 1979, Russia 2014, North Korea, Venezuela); never previously used to impose tariffs
  • Trump's application: Declared trade deficits as a national emergency to impose tariffs on imports; first time IEEPA was used for tariff imposition
  • Supreme Court ruling (February 20, 2026): 6-3 decision; held IEEPA does not authorise tariffs; Justices Thomas, Kavanaugh, and Alito dissented
  • Revenue collected under IEEPA tariffs before invalidation: over $130 billion
In the news

Tracked since February 07, 2026 · last seen February 20, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes

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