Who Is Neal Katyal? Indian-Origin Lawyer Who Defeated Trump In US Tariff Case In Court News24 –

In a new development regarding Trump’s 50 percent tariff, a US federal court has ruled it illegal. On Friday, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit found that Trump exceeded his authority by declaring national emergencies to justify imposing broad import taxes on nearly every country. The ruling largely upheld a May decision by a specialised federal trade court in New York. However, the 7-4 appeals court decision overturned the part of the earlier ruling that had struck down the tariffs immediately, giving the administration time to appeal to the US Supreme Court. The court’s decision becomes even more noteworthy when we consider the lawyer involved in the case that led to Trump’s tariffs being struck down.

This court decision is significant for Indian exporters, as the 50% tariff had been affecting their business. One of the lead lawyers in the case was Neal Katyal, an Indian-origin American citizen, who challenged Trump’s authority to impose the tariffs in court.

Who is Neal Katyal?

Neal Kumar Katyal is a prominent American lawyer and legal scholar, born to Indian-origin parents—his father, Surendra Katyal, was an engineer, and his mother, Pratibha Katyal, was a doctor. He has had a distinguished legal career, including serving as Acting Solicitor General of the United States under Barack Obama. In the recent case, Katyal acted as the lead lawyer for a group of small businesses and Democratic-led states challenging Trump’s tariffs. He argued that the President does not have the authority to unilaterally impose economic policies, as this power rests with Congress. The court accepted his arguments and ruled against Trump.

The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington issued its decision on Friday with a 7-4 majority, stating that Trump had exceeded his authority by using emergency powers to impose tariffs. According to the US Constitution, only Congress has the power to impose tariffs or taxes, not the President. Trump had cited the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify the tariffs, but the court found that the act does not give the President clear authority to do so. However, the court has stayed the implementation of its ruling until October 14, giving the Trump administration time to appeal to the US Supreme Court.