At the end of August, the U.S. Court of Appeal ruled that most of the global tariff policies implemented by US President Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (LEEPA) were “illegal”. Trump soon posted a message on social media that the ruling would “completely destroy” the United States, saying he would appeal to the conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court.
According to Reuters on the 3rd, when meeting with the visiting Polish new president on Wednesday local time, Trump once again stated that if the U.S. Supreme Court makes an adverse ruling in the tariff lawsuit, the United States may have to “subsidize” the trade agreement that had been reached previously. He warned that if the case is lost, the United States will “suffer extremely serious losses.”
Trump mentioned the EU, “We have reached an agreement, they are going to pay us nearly $1 trillion. And they are willing to do so. You know? They are happy with it, the agreement has come into effect, and all of these agreements have come to fruition. If the lawsuit is lost, we may have to terminate these agreements.”
“Without the influence, reputation and dignity of tariffs, people would not be respectful of the United States again, and we would not be a wealthy country again. The amount of money flowing into the United States is incredibly high.”
He continued, “We are fighting a crucial lawsuit in the Supreme Court. All I can say is that our country has a chance to become extremely wealthy again, but it may also fall into extreme poverty again. If we lose, our country will suffer unimaginable losses. But I believe we will surely achieve a major victory.”
Trump also criticized that the tariff opponents in the lawsuit actually serve foreign interests, and these countries have been taking advantage of the United States for many years. “Again, other countries will also use tariffs on us. If we don’t use them ourselves, they will only get worse, and we will have no power to fight back and eventually become third world countries. So I think this is one of the most significant U.S. Supreme Court cases I have ever seen.
Reuters pointed out that this is the first time that Trump has made it clear that if the Supreme Court upheld the appeals court ruling, the trade agreement that the United States and its major trading partners could be sentenced to “invalid.”
On September 3 local time, Trump met with the new Polish president at the White House. White House video screenshot
It is reported that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (LEEPA), passed in 1977, has been repeatedly used during Trump’s two terms, giving the US president considerable power in responding to national emergencies or major overseas threats.
The law provides that the president can use a variety of economic means “to deal with any situation that poses an unusual and significant threat to national security, foreign policy or economy that is primarily from outside the United States.”
But the Court of Appeal pointed out in its ruling that although LEEPA gives the president significant powers to allow Trump to take a series of actions against a national emergency, none of these actions explicitly include the power to impose tariffs, taxes or implement similar measures.
