President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly exploring legal avenues to impose significant trade tariffs on goods entering the United States, potentially by declaring a “national economic emergency,” according to a recent CNN report.
Citing four anonymous sources, CNN revealed that Trump might invoke the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) to construct a new tariff framework. The law grants presidents broad authority to manage imports during a declared national emergency.
“The declaration would allow Trump to construct a new tariff program by using the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, known as ‘IEEPA,’ which unilaterally authorizes a president to manage imports during a national emergency,” CNN reported.
“Trump, one of the sources noted, has a fondness for the law, since it grants wide-ranging jurisdiction over how tariffs are implemented without strict requirements to prove the tariffs are needed on national security grounds.”
This wouldn’t be the first time Trump has considered leveraging IEEPA. In 2019, he used it to threaten a 5% tariff on all Mexican imports, increasing to 25%, unless Mexico took action to curb undocumented immigration to the United States.
According to CNN, no final decision has been made on whether Trump will declare a national economic emergency. His team is reportedly exploring other legal methods to support the tariffs proposed during his campaign. The Trump transition team declined to comment on the report.
The CNN report follows another from The Washington Post, which suggested Trump’s advisors were considering targeting tariffs on “certain sectors deemed critical to national or economic security” rather than implementing “universal tariffs” on all imported goods.
This would mark a departure from Trump’s campaign pledge to impose blanket tariffs of up to 20% on imports. While Trump’s tariff threats were a central feature of his campaign rhetoric, no official U.S. policies reflecting those promises have yet materialized.
Critics argue that using IEEPA to justify sweeping tariffs could spark significant economic and legal challenges. Meanwhile, supporters of the plan view it as a bold strategy to protect American industries and reduce the trade deficit.
As the Trump administration prepares to take office, the nation watches closely to see how these potential tariff policies evolve—and whether they will align with his campaign promises or take a more measured approach.
