The United States Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling on the “Trump Tariff Case” before the end of the year. President Trump warned on Tuesday (December 9) that if the Supreme Court rules the tariff policy unconstitutional, national security will be at risk.
In a post on the Truth Social media platform earlier on Tuesday, Trump stated, “If the US Supreme Court rules unfavorably on the tariff case, it will be the biggest threat to national security in US history. At that time, we will lose our fiscal defense capability.”
In early November, the Supreme Court held a landmark oral argument regarding the legality of Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose retaliatory tariffs.
The controversy in the case lies in whether Trump can invoke the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose retaliatory tariffs.
In his post, Trump added, “Now Europe is implementing tariff measures against China, just as they treat other countries. Yet we are prohibited from taking actions that other countries have long taken!”
French President Macron, who just visited China last week, warned Beijing upon his return that if action is not taken to reduce China’s massive trade surplus with the EU, the EU will have to resort to imposing tough measures such as tariffs on China.
On the same day, in another post, Trump again mentioned the tariff issue, writing, “Because tariffs can be implemented easily and quickly, our national security has been greatly enhanced. We have become the financially strongest country in the world, far surpassing all others.”
He stated, “Only those dark and insidious forces would want to see all of this come to an end!!!”
Meanwhile, on Monday (December 8), Trump announced a $12 billion aid package to support American farmers affected by the tariff trade dispute.
During the meeting, Trump said, “Without tariffs, this money would not be possible.”
According to data from the US Customs and Border Protection, as of September 23, tariff revenues collected under emergency laws in the 2025 fiscal year were close to $90 billion. This is almost half of the total tariff revenue for that fiscal year.
So far, the Trump administration has reached trade agreements with several countries including the UK, the EU, Japan, and South Korea. These agreements have brought in over $2 trillion in procurement and investment commitments for the US.
However, many private companies are urging the Supreme Court to dismiss the Trump administration’s lawsuit, as the tariffs signify potentially hundreds of billions of dollars in additional tax revenue. Some external assessment organizations have also been critical of these tariffs.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that typically, the US Supreme Court takes 3 to 6 months after oral arguments to make a ruling, but the decision in this tariff case may come sooner. Justices have agreed to expedite the review of the case, and observers expect the outcome to be announced possibly before the end of this year.