00:00In a sharply worded critique, MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell has labelled former President Donald
00:06Trump's tariff strategy as irreversibly stupid, warning that his most humiliating moment in trade
00:13policy may still lie ahead. O'Donnell's comments follow a recent legal twist in Trump's ongoing
00:20tariff battle. Although a federal appeals court has temporarily allowed Trump to continue
00:26collecting tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, IREPA, a lower
00:33court had earlier ruled the tariffs unlawful, stating that Trump had exceeded his legal authority.
00:39The tariffs in question, referred to by Trump as part of Liberation Day, were introduced in April
00:452025. They imposed steep duties, up to 145% on Chinese imports and 25% on goods from key
00:55allies like Canada and Mexico. Trump claimed the measures were necessary to address national
01:02emergencies involving trade deficits, immigration and narcotics trafficking. However, legal experts
01:09and critics argue that the IEPA was never intended to authorise such sweeping trade actions.
01:15In the case VOS Selections, Inc. via the United States, the US Court of International Trade
01:23ruled that Trump's use of emergency powers to justify the tariffs was unconstitutional. While
01:30the appeals court has allowed the tariffs to remain in place temporarily, O'Donnell believes the legal
01:35battle is far from over. This isn't economic policy, it's a political performance, he stated during a
01:43segment on his show. And when the courts issue a final ruling, it could mark Trump's most embarrassing
01:49defeat yet in his tariff crusade. Businesses and economists have expressed growing concern about
01:56the impact of the tariffs, citing increased costs, disrupted supply chains and the potential for
02:02retaliatory actions from trade partners. Many are calling for a swift resolution to the legal
02:08uncertainty. As Trump continues to defend the tariffs as a bold move to protect American interests,
02:15O'Donnell and other critics maintain that the true reckoning is still to come.
02:20Liberation Day may have been Trump's celebration, O'Donnell said, but his Humiliation Day is still on the
02:27horizon.
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