Trump's Newest Tariffs Are Likely Illegal Too
The Section 301 tariffs announced on Thursday overstep the powers granted by Congress and likely run afoul of the major questions doctrine.
Treasury
The Trump Coin Case Ends, but Legal Questions Remain
As the coin moves closer to production and distribution, it will be up to the American people to decide whether the controversial coin is deemed a success.
A Federal Judge Slams Trump's IRS Lawsuit As a Pretext for Delivering a Phony 'Settlement'
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams concludes that the case never presented a true "case or controversy" because both sides were controlled by the president.
In Europe, Just Reposting Russian Propaganda Can Land a Blogger in Jail
Don't assume this couldn't happen in America too.
Trump Lets Americans Buy Iranian Oil for the First Time Since the 1980s
As part of peace negotiations, the U.S. Treasury issued an unprecedented total waiver from Iranian oil sanctions.
No, Trump Isn't 'Paying' Iran $24 Billion To End the War
There’s a lot of confusion about sanctions relief and the U.S.-Iranian deal on the table. Hawks are exploiting it to sabotage the peace.
Trump's Self-Promotion Is Always Shameless and Sometimes Illegal
The president tramples the rule of law in his rush to glorify himself.
Trump's Corrupt 'Settlement' With the IRS Hits Two Judicial Roadblocks
One order temporarily blocks money for the president's "Anti-Weaponization Fund." The other asks whether the agreement is a fraudulent "product of collusion."
Trump's Proposed $250 Bill Is Everything the Founders Despised
George Washington actively opposed the U.S. Mint putting his face on coinage, as it would've resembled the reverence reserved for monarchs.
Iran Is Turning America's Sanctions Playbook Against It
The U.S. Treasury is trying to fight the kind of trade embargo that it usually imposes on other countries.
Even Republicans Are Rebelling at Trump's Blatantly Corrupt 'Anti-Weaponization Fund'
Using taxpayer money to reward the president’s allies has nothing to do with the president's claims against the IRS.
The $1.776 Billion in Trump's 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' Fits a Pattern of Fanciful Figures
In one lawsuit after another, the president has claimed damages in amounts completely disconnected from reality.
Trump Settles His Own Lawsuit Against the IRS for $1.8 Billion of Your Money
The government says the money will go to a fund for those "who suffered weaponization and lawfare," but it's more likely a slush fund for Trump and his cronies.
Judge Stops U.S. Treasury From Sanctioning Someone's Speech
The Trump administration accused Francesca Albanese of “lawfare that targets U.S. and Israeli persons.” But a court said that’s not ground to seize her property.
A Circuit Split Gives SCOTUS an Opportunity To Overturn a Federal Law That Makes Home Distilling a Felony
The 6th Circuit upheld that 158-year-old law, while the 5th Circuit concluded it could not be justified as a revenue measure.
This Taxation Is Looking a Lot Like Theft
The Trump administration is trying to avoid paying refunds after illegally collecting $175 billion from its emergency tariff scheme.
Will the Trump Administration Pay the Tariff Refunds It Promised?
It said that if it lost in court, it would refund companies that paid unlawful tariffs. Now it says the process could take years.
Bessent Says Construction Jobs Are Booming Under Trump's Tariffs. Government Data Show the Opposite.
Meanwhile, Trump is touting low gas prices, which are due in part to the lack of tariffs on oil and gasoline.
Europe's Biggest Advantage in the Showdown Over Greenland? America's Huge Pile of Debt.
America's large and growing national debt is not just a budgetary liability, but increasingly a geopolitical one too.
Why the DOJ Has Stopped Describing Maduro as the Head of a Literal Drug Cartel
That embarrassing mistake highlights the slipperiness of Trump's attempts to justify legally dubious policies by invoking the specter of "foreign terrorist organizations."
Trump's Designation of Fentanyl As a 'Weapon of Mass Destruction' Is a Drug-Fueled Delusion
The executive order does not accomplish much in practical terms, but it jibes with the president's conflation of drug trafficking with violent aggression.
The Trump Admin Wants Western Union and MoneyGram To Report on Immigrants
An obscure bureau of the U.S. Treasury is using USA PATRIOT Act powers to sniff out under-the-table employment.
Congress Votes To Open Up the Epstein Files
There probably is no “client list,” but the files could help answer some pressing questions—and open the door to more revelations.
Treasury Department Surveillance at the Southern Border Faces Fourth Amendment Challenges
A new FinCEN rule forced small money services businesses to collect personal data on nearly every customer transaction. Lawsuits claim this violates the Fourth Amendment.
Trump Is Filling the Fed with Loyalists
By installing Stephen Miran and eyeing more allies, Trump is positioning the central bank for aggressive rate cuts and a sharp break from its tradition of independence.
Trump Administration Plans To Tax More American Companies on Overseas Sales
The president's revenue-sharing agreement on chip sales to China may pass legal muster, paving the way for effective export tariffs.
To Truly Fix Debanking, We Need Structural Reforms
Trump’s new executive order addresses political discrimination in banking, but we need deeper reforms to money-laundering laws and the Bank Secrecy Act to truly protect freedom and privacy.
Trump Wants Lower Interest Rates. The Market Disagrees.
Even if the Fed tried to cut rates, inflation, investor reluctance, and a $25 trillion borrowing spree could keep them elevated for years.
Can Anyone Stop Trump's Tariffs?
Plus: A listener asks if it's time for journalists to stop steel-manning Trump's policies.
Taking $200 Out of an ATM Should Not Trigger Federal Financial Surveillance
No, not even if you do it in a county that borders Mexico.
To Cut Government Spending, Trump Targets Pocket Change
The penny is expensive to produce and has long outlived its usefulness.
Janet Yellen's Short-Term Thinking Could Cost the U.S. Big
The Treasury Secretary’s debt decisions during the pandemic locked in low rates—but only for two years. Now, taxpayers are paying the price.
Will 2025 Be the Year of U.S. Fiscal Sanity?
With inflation risks persisting and entitlement spending surging, the situation cannot be ignored. But we never should have gotten to this point to begin with.
IRS Failed To Properly Dispose of Sensitive Tax Documents, Report Finds
Some IRS offices routinely threw away sensitive material with regular trash, while others used unlocked or damaged storage bins.
The PPP Was a COVID-Era Disaster. Trump Wants To Promote the Guy Who Ran It.
After overseeing the pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was a bloated, wasteful mess, Michael Faulkender is failing up.
Return of the 'Tariff Man'
Plus: Are tariffs inflationary, RIP to a giant of the free market movement, and more...
Betting on Bessent
Plus: Pregnant law student fights a holy war, NYC officials are trying to ruin your holidays, and more...
House Votes To Let Treasury Kill Politically Disfavored Nonprofits
Administrative power over financial matters is a dangerous weapon for bypassing due process.
Biden Admin Stops Telling Americans Which Foreigners They Can Debate
The Treasury Department tried to stop an overseas conference that included politicians under sanctions. Now they’re backing down.
How Inflation Breaks Our Brains
From salt riots to toilet paper runs, history shows that rising prices make consumers—and voters—grumpy and irrational.
Here's How To Pay for Trump's Tax Cuts
There seems to be general bipartisan agreement on keeping a majority of the cuts, which are set to expire. They can be financed by cleaning out the tax code of unfair breaks.
Ruling in Favor of DIY Distillers Affirms Limits on Congressional Power
A federal judge rejected the government’s excuses for banning home production of liquor.
The National Debt Is Crossing an Ominous Line
The U.S. has successfully navigated past debt challenges, notably in the 1990s. Policymakers can fix this if they find the will to do so.
The Dark Side of Alexander Hamilton
The first treasury secretary's plans would have created cartels that mainly benefited the wealthy at the expense of small competitors.
Congressional Republicans Launch 'Fishing Expedition' Against Progressive, Jewish, and Palestinian Nonprofits
The House Oversight and Education committees are investigating the sources of “malign influence” behind campus protests. They’re using tactics Republicans used to hate.
Say No to This: America's Fiscal Norms Are in Decline
Despite their informal nature, those norms have historically constrained U.S. fiscal policy. But they're eroding.
Feds Enforcing Unconstitutional Reporting Law Against Most Businesses
Are you in compliance with the Corporate Transparency Act? Have you even heard of it?
