Harendra Singh dainik india news new Delhi:A dramatic new chapter was written in American legal and political history when Indian-American legal heavyweight Neal Kumar Katyal took on former President Donald Trump’s controversial tariff order—and won. In a landmark ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals declared Trump’s retaliatory tariffs unconstitutional, stressing that the power to impose tariffs or taxes rests solely with Congress, not the President. The verdict not only safeguarded the sanctity of the U.S. Constitution but also reaffirmed a powerful truth: no individual, not even a President, stands above the law.
The story began with Trump’s contentious move to slap “retaliatory tariffs” by invoking his emergency powers. The decision, burdensome for small businesses and the public alike, sparked a critical question—could a President stretch emergency powers to such extremes? A coalition of small businesses thought not, and they turned to Neal Katyal, a seasoned constitutional lawyer and former Acting Solicitor General, to lead the charge.
Inside the courtroom, Katyal dismantled Trump’s legal defense. He argued that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) was never designed for imposing trade tariffs but for extraordinary threats like terrorism or grave national security crises. By using it as a trade weapon, Trump had blatantly overstepped constitutional boundaries. The appellate court agreed, ruling that Trump had exceeded his authority and reaffirming that only Congress can decide tax and tariff matters.
The suspense throughout the case centered on one question: would the judiciary dare to strike down a presidential order? The answer arrived in resounding fashion—Trump’s directive was unlawful. The ruling sent shockwaves through Washington. Trump fumed that without his tariffs, the U.S. economy would “bleed,” but small businesses and constitutional scholars hailed the decision as a long-overdue check on executive overreach.
In conclusion, this verdict is more than a courtroom win—it is a resounding declaration of democratic resilience. Neal Katyal’s relentless advocacy proved that the strength of the Constitution outweighs the might of any single leader. His victory not only delivered justice to small businesses but also sent a message across the globe: power must bow before principle, and authority must remain within the boundaries of law. This story stands as a reminder that in the end, justice sides with truth—and the Constitution always has the last word.
