For months President Donald Trump has been slapping higher tariffs on practically every country’s exports to the United States, citing emergency economic powers. Now, just as he’s about to enact a new round of tariffs,

The U.S. Constitution gives the power to impose taxes — including tariffs — to Congress. But lawmakers have gradually relinquished power over trade policy to the White House. And Trump has made the most of the power vacuum, raising the average U.S. tariff to more than 18%, highest since 1934, according to the Budget Lab at Yale University.

U.S. appeals court judges sharply questioned on Thursday whether President Donald Trump's tariffs were justified by the president's emergency powers, as lawyers for states and businesses challenging the measures argued he exceeded his authority.

U.S. and Chinese officials agreed to seek an extension of their 90-day tariff truce on Tuesday, following two days of what both sides described as constructive talks in Stockholm aimed at defusing an escalating trade war between the world's two biggest economies that threatens global growth.

The U.S.-Chinese cease-fire left exporters with crippling tariffs, worsening a slowdown for light-industry factories caused by China’s shift to advanced manufacturing.