President Donald Trump warned that the United States would be victimized by other countries if the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against his tariff policies.
“Tariffs are an overwhelming benefit to our Nation, as they have been incredible for our National Security and Prosperity (like nobody has ever seen before!),” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social on Jan. 2.
Trump added that the United States needs the ability to put tariffs on “other countries who treat us unfairly,” otherwise, it could be a “terrible blow” to the country.
The Supreme Court is currently considering a case on a number of tariffs that Trump imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977, which grants a president broad authority to regulate international commerce during emergencies. In early 2025, Trump imposed broad tariffs on most countries under the measure.
Several lower courts have ruled against the tariffs but left them in place while the Supreme Court considers the issue. Meanwhile, Trump has continued to use them as he has tried to pressure countries on other matters.
Several of the justices appeared skeptical of the administration’s arguments during oral arguments in November last year. The Justice Department, in its defense of the tariffs, told the Supreme Court about the expansive way Trump has used them, arguing that the trade penalties are part of his power over foreign affairs and an area where the courts should not second-guess the president.
Despite the possibility that the tariffs could be struck down, Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have said they have other authorities to impose them. However, doing so under other laws would be more cumbersome and take more time, Trump has warned.
Last November, the president suggested that the tariff revenues could be used to send out $2,000 dividend payments to low- and middle-income Americans starting in 2026. But such a measure would first need the approval of Congress, Bessent said.
Trump signed a new proclamation on Dec. 31, 2025, delaying increased tariffs on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities for a year, citing ongoing trade talks.
Trump’s order keeps in place the 25 percent tariff he imposed in September 2025 on those goods, but it delays for another year a 30 percent tariff on upholstered furniture and a 50 percent tariff on kitchen cabinets and vanities.
The increases, which were set to take effect Jan. 1, come as the Republican president instituted a broad swath of taxes on imported goods to address trade imbalances and other issues. Previously, he said that furniture tariffs are necessary to “bolster American industry and protect national security.”
In November, the president also scrapped reciprocal tariffs on beef, coffee, tropical fruits, and other commodities to combat relatively high consumer prices. In his executive order, Trump said that the changes were needed following recommendations from officials about trade imbalances.
Democrats have criticized Trump over the import taxes, saying they are harming Americans’ pocketbooks.
“President Trump is finally admitting what we always knew: his tariffs are raising prices for the American people,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said in a statement after the administration scrapped tariffs on the grocery commodities at the time.
“After getting drubbed in recent elections because of voters’ fury that Trump has broken his promises to fix inflation, the White House is trying to cast this tariff retreat as a ‘pivot to affordability.’”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
