Toy Makers Blocked From Quick Challenge to Trump's China Tariffs by Supreme Court

The US Supreme Court on Friday declined a request from two American toy companies to fast-track their legal challenge against tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump on goods from China.

This means the case will follow the normal legal process, giving the government time to respond within 30 days, NBC News said.

Learning Resources and hand2mind, two family-run businesses based in the US, had asked the court to skip over the appeals stage and quickly decide whether Trump had overstepped his powers by applying broad tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

"In light of the tariffs' massive impact on virtually every business and consumer across the nation... challenges to the IEEPA tariffs cannot await the normal appellate process," the companies said in their filing.

The toy makers argue that the IEEPA, a law passed in 1977, does not allow the president to raise import taxes on such a wide scale without going through Congress.

They say Trump's actions started a trade war that caused prices to go up for both businesses and shoppers across the country.

Toy Companies Challenge Trump Tariffs, Supreme Court Says Wait

Since returning to office in January, Trump has reimposed a 10% universal tariff on most foreign goods, including higher tariffs targeting Chinese imports.

While these moves are meant to protect American industries, critics say they have added costs for many businesses and raised prices for families.

A lower court previously ruled that Trump may have gone too far in how he used the IEEPA to justify the tariffs. But that ruling is currently on hold while the case is being appealed.

The toy companies hoped to speed things up by going straight to the Supreme Court. Instead, the justices denied that request, meaning the appeal will now go through the regular court process, starting with the DC Circuit Court.

The issue has drawn attention beyond just toy makers. Several states and other small businesses have also filed lawsuits claiming the tariffs are unlawful. Some courts have sided with them, but those decisions have not yet taken full effect.

According to DMR News, the Department of Justice responded to the case, saying it will "continue to vigorously defend President Trump's agenda to confront unfair trade practices in court."

The toy companies say this legal fight is urgent, as the tariffs have caused serious financial strain and disrupted long-term business plans.

Originally published on vcpost.com