Appeals court temporarily pauses order that declared Trump’s global 10% tariffs unlawful
President Donald Trump speaks to the press as he departs the White House, May 12, 2026, in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — A federal appeals court on Tuesday temporarily paused a lower court order that declared President Donald Trump’s global 10% tariffs are unlawful.
In an unsigned decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued an administrative stay of last week’s decision from the Court of International Trade.
The move, effectively a brief legal time-out, will allow an appeals court panel time to consider equities on both sides of the dispute before considering whether or not to invalidate the tariffs while litigation continues.
The court did not take any position on the merits of Trump’s appeal and is still considering issuing a long-term stay pending appeal.
The same court granted the Trump administration’s request to stay last year’s decision blocking Trump’s first round of tariffs.
Last week, a New York-based trade court concluded that the 10% — imposed by Trump after the Supreme Court blocked his initial tariffs — were similarly unlawful.
Elbert Tse plays golf at the East Potomac Golf Links on May 3, 2026, in Washington, DC. Reports were circulating that the administration planned to take over operations of the popular municipal golf course as soon as Sunday evening, even as officials have offered few details to the public or the course’s current operator.(Photo by Pete Kiehart for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge on Monday warned Justice Department lawyers of “serious consequences” if the Trump administration begins major work at a public golf course in the District of Columbia without getting approval and notifying the court in advance.
During a tense conference on Monday morning, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes demanded she be updated if work begins at the East Potomac Golf Course, and raised concerns about claims made by the Trump administration regarding the state of the course.
“Let’s just say, given some issues around the district recently, I would have a particular concern that we not ask first and ask forgiveness later, because that’s not going to be acceptable,” she said.
Concerns arose in December that the administration may try to take over the course as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to leave his imprint on various D.C. buildings, after the administration terminated the lease of the group that runs the course.
The dispute over East Potomac Golf Course flared up over the weekend after lawyers for the D.C. Preservation League warned that the property would be “razed” by the Trump administration before anyone could stop it, citing the rapid demolition of the White House’s East Wing. In an order late Sunday, Judge Reyes required lawyers to appear for an unusually early Monday morning conference to ensure major work had not begun.
“Without emergency preliminary relief, they will continue running roughshod over both East Potomac Park and the law until the golf course and the Park have met the East Wing’s fate,” the plaintiffs argued.
During the conference, a DOJ lawyer argued that the work done to the course was limited to identifying dead or dying trees for removal, which appeared to resolve some of Judge Reyes’ concerns. DOJ lawyers said they were unaware of reported fundraising by Trump to renovate the course — though they said such communications would be “very sensitive issues of executive limited privilege” — and Kevin Greiss, the Superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks, said he was unaware of any closures.
“I don’t want anything major to happen without plaintiffs saying ‘Got it’ or someone identifying or talking to me first,” she said. “I don’t want to be the overseer of the Parks and Rec. I mean, I’m no Amy Poehler.”
But as Judge Reyes appeared ready to conclude the hearing, her clerk handed her a note that renewed her concerns.
“I just got a note from Clerk I need to look at real quick,” she said. “It looks like there were signs on the golf course yesterday that there were closures. Were there any closures yesterday?”
“Not that I am aware of, ma’am,” responded Kevin Greiss, the Superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks. “I didn’t order any signs put up. I can’t attest to those signs or who may have put them up. There’s been no closure order.”
While Greiss checked with his maintenance staff to confirm if the course was open, Judge Reyes warned DOJ lawyers of “serious consequences” if major construction begins without appropriate notice.
“I’m going to say this one more time, and I do not want a situation where something has happened and then I’m being told by the government or by a foundation or by a bulldozing company that it’s too late to do anything about it,” she said. “If anything like that happens … there are going to be serious consequences.”
Greiss followed up to say that he checked with his maintenance staff — who said they were unaware of the closures — but were still looking for the signs. The hearing concluded with Judge Reyes ordering that the Trump administration get approval and notify the court before beginning any construction work.
When reached by ABC News, a staff member at East Potomac Golf Course’s pro shop said the course was open for business Monday.
“Until they shut us down, we are still here,” he said.
The National Links Trust, which operates East Potomac Golf Course, said Monday in a statement on X, “While we continue to monitor developments surrounding third-party litigation, East Potomac Golf Links is open for business. We will provide updates as they become available. Thank you to our community for their continued support.”
The booking photo for Hassan Moutassim. (Illinois State Police)
(CHICAGO) — A semi-truck driver has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly causing multiple crashes on a Chicago highway and then trying to strangle another driver, according to police.
The alleged road rage incident occurred Tuesday morning on Interstate 57, Illinois State Police said.
The semi-truck driver — identified by authorities as 25-year-old Hassan Moutassim of Jersey City, New Jersey — allegedly caused eight separate crashes while driving north on I-57, police said.
After the last crash, Moutassim stopped, exited the semi-truck and then allegedly removed a driver from one of the crashed vehicles “and began battering the driver, including an attempt to strangle the victim,” Illinois State Police said in a press release on Thursday.
The victim was transported to an area hospital with unspecified injuries.
Officers took Moutassim into custody at the scene and he was charged Wednesday with attempted murder, aggravated battery on a public way and aggravated battery-strangulation, police said.
He is being held pending his first court appearance, police said. It is unclear if he has an attorney at this time.
Voters casting ballot (CREDIT: Hill Street Studios/Getty Images)
(FULTON COUNTY, Ga.) — Officials in Fulton County, Georgia, filed a motion Wednesday seeking the return of all files from the 2020 election that were seized by the FBI last week, according to a spokesperson for the county.
FBI agents last Wednesday removed 700 boxes containing ballots and other materials associated with the 2020 election from a county election site after obtaining a search warrant approved by a federal magistrate judge.
The warrant said the material “constitutes evidence of the commission of a criminal offense” and had been “used as the means of committing a criminal offense.”
The county’s new motion also seeks the unsealing of the affidavit filed in relation to the search warrant, the spokesperson said in a statement.
The statement said that because the case is still under seal, the county is unable to share the contents of the motion.
The FBI’s action comes after Trump has repeatedly made baseless claims that there was voter fraud in the 2020 election, specifically in Georgia, that contributed to his election loss.
Georgia officials audited and certified the results following the election, and numerous lawsuits challenging the election results in the state were rejected by the courts.
