Live Online Policy Forum 

# Tariffs, Emergencies, and Presidential Power 

### A Conversation with Ilya Somin and Walter Olson 

##### Watch the Event 

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Video 

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Audio 

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Date and Time 

May 27, 2025 12 - 1 PM EDT 

Location 

Live Online 

Share This Event 

##### Featuring 

[![ilya-somin-cropped.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2023-04/ilya-somin-cropped.jpg?itok=J1IxBVI7)](/people/ilya-somin) 

[Ilya Somin](/people/ilya-somin)

Professor of Law, George Mason University, and B. Kenneth Simon Chair in Constitutional Studies, Cato Institute

[ 

](https://x.com/ilyasomin) 

[![Walter Olson](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/Walter%20Olson.jpg?itok=yhYxyT_7)](/people/walter-olson) 

[Walter Olson](/people/walter-olson)

Senior Fellow, Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, Cato Institute

[ 

](mailto:wolson@cato.org) 

[![Brent Skorup cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-05/Brent%20Skorup%20cropped.jpg?itok=5Witkb6w)](/people/brent-skorup) 

[Brent Skorup](/people/brent-skorup)

Former Legal Fellow, Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies

Can the president unilaterally impose tariffs under his emergency powers? In this webinar, legal scholars Ilya Somin, a professor at Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University who is co-counsel in the pending tariffs case *VOS Selections v. Trump*, and Walter Olson explore the constitutional and statutory limits of presidential authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and other statutes. They’ll discuss President Trump’s recent efforts to justify sweeping trade measures under IEEPA, examine the historical role of Congress in setting tariffs, and consider broader stakes for the separation of powers. Whether you’re a lawyer, policymaker, or interested observer, this conversation will shed light on one of the most important trade and constitutional questions of our time.

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