International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), 1977
The IEEPA was enacted on December 28, 1977, to clarify and narrow presidential emergency economic powers that had expanded under the Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA) of 1917. It authorises the President to regulate international economic transactions — including imports — after declaring a national emergency in response to an "unusual and extraordinary threat" originating substantially outside the United States to US national security, foreign policy, or economy. Until 2025, IEEPA had never been used to impose tariffs.
- IEEPA replaced the broad wartime powers under the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917, which had been invoked during peacetime emergencies
- The statute requires the President to declare a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act (NEA) of 1976 before invoking IEEPA powers
- On February 1, 2025, Trump declared a national emergency citing fentanyl and illegal immigration to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China — the first-ever use of IEEPA for tariffs
- Multiple federal courts held that IEEPA does not authorise tariffs; the US Supreme Court accepted the case for expedited review in September 2025
- The key legal question is whether the word "regulate" in the statute encompasses the power to impose tariffs (duties on imports)
● Tracked since February 12, 2026 · last seen May 13, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
13 May '26
U.S. appeals court halts order declaring Trump’s global 10% tariff illegal
International Relations
23 Feb '26
India, US press pause on trade talks amid Supreme Court action on Trump's tariffs
Economics
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