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The central legal question revolves around whether the president can use emergency powers to impose tariffs without explicit congressional authorization. The government contends that Congress has delegated such authority, framing tariffs as a legitimate tool of foreign policy. Conversely, challengers of the tariffs argue that historically, tariffs have been imposed by Congress, citing the precedent set since Thomas Jefferson's era, and that the president's unilateral use of tariffs as a form of taxation exceeds constitutional boundaries.