Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump claimed he has the "absolute right" to "order" US companies to stop doing business with China that would involve using his broad executive authority in a new and unprecedented way under a 1977 law.
In response, Trump wrote on Twitter later Friday: "Our great American companies are hereby ordered to immediately start looking for an alternative to China including bringing ...your companies HOME and making your products in the USA.".
When leaving the White House for the G7 summit in France, Trump told reporters, "I have the absolute right to do that, but we'll see how it goes."
Trump's latest comments again raise questions as to how far the President's authority goes under the IEEPA .
In May, Trump threatened to slap Mexico with punitive tariffs unless it slowed the passage of migrants from Central America to the US.
The IEEPA, according to the Congressional Research Service, has never been invoked to impose tariffs, and Trump ultimately drew back at the last minute.
Under the law, though, Congress can end an emergency with a joint resolution. »
