New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Saturday doubled down on his trade policies, declaring that tariffs on foreign imports will remain firmly in place despite a court ruling that deemed many of them illegal.
The appeals court decision, delivered earlier this week, held that several of Trump’s sweeping tariffs violated trade laws. However, the ruling allowed the measures to remain in effect temporarily, giving the administration time to appeal before the Supreme Court.
In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump dismissed the ruling as “highly partisan” and warned of dire consequences if the tariffs were rolled back.
“ALL TARIFFS ARE STILL IN EFFECT! If these tariffs ever went away, it would be a total disaster for the country. It would make us financially weak, and we have to be strong,” Trump wrote. He added that America would “no longer tolerate enormous trade deficits and unfair tariffs and barriers imposed by other countries, friend or foe.”
The President argued that tariffs are vital to protect US manufacturers and farmers, and to strengthen the “Made in America” economy. “For many years, tariffs were used against us by our uncaring and unwise politicians. Now, with the Supreme Court’s help, we will use them to the benefit of our nation—and make America rich, strong, and powerful again,” he said.
Ahead of the court’s ruling, Trump’s cabinet officials warned that striking down the tariffs could harm US national security and foreign policy. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick argued that removing them would trigger retaliation from trading partners, derail ongoing negotiations, and “threaten broader US strategic interests at home and abroad.”
Since returning to the White House seven months ago, Trump has overhauled the global trade landscape, wielding America’s economic might to pressure countries into one-sided deals. On April 2, he announced sweeping import taxes—“reciprocal” tariffs of up to 50% on nations with which the US runs trade deficits, and a 10% baseline tax on nearly all other imports.
Declaring the trade deficit a national emergency under a 1977 law, Trump gave countries 90 days to negotiate exemptions. Some struck deals under pressure, while others that resisted faced even steeper tariffs.
While critics say his approach has destabilized global markets, Trump insists tariffs are the “best tool” to safeguard US workers and industries.
