Trump Says He Could “Destroy the Country” After Supreme Court Setback
Donald Trump has lashed out at the US Supreme Court after they ruled his sweeping tariffs to be illegal.
The court ruled 6-3 against the president, deeming his reasoning for the massive tariffs were beyond his authority.
Trump praised the three judges who voted in his favour, then called the other justices “a disgrace to our nation”.
“They’re just FOOLS and “LAPDOGS” for the RINOS (Republicans in name only) and Radical Left Democrats and, not that this should have anything to do with it, very unpatriotic, and disloyal to the Constitution,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“It is my opinion that the Court has been swayed by Foreign Interests, and a Political Movement that is far smaller than people would think — But obnoxious, ignorant, and loud!”
Two of the justices who voted against the president – Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett – were appointed by him.
In a press conference, he spoke of his claimed powers as president.
“I can destroy the trade. I can destroy the country,” Trump said.
“I’m allowed to impose a foreign destroying embargo, I can embargo, I can do anything I want, but I can’t charge $1.”
In a bizarre explanation, Trump said he “was very modest in my ask of other countries”.
“I didn’t want to do anything that would affect the decision of the court,” he said.
“I wanted to be a good boy.”
The administration is now left with the major headache of how to refund the $184 billion in tariffs it has already collected.
Tariffs are paid by the businesses importing products from overseas, with the increased costs typically passed on to consumers.
Already Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has issued an invoice demanding a refund from the government for the tariffs.
“Your tariff taxes wreaked havoc on farmers, enraged our allies and sent grocery prices through the roof,” Pritzker said.
“This morning, your hand-picked Supreme Court justices notified you that they are also unconstitutional.”
Pritzker is considered a likely candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028.
Trump announced in his press conference he would impose a 10 per cent global tariff under a federal law known as Section 122.
But such tariffs would be limited to just 150 days.
The blow to Trump’s policy agenda has been celebrated by Republican senators.
“As a matter of policy, the empty merits of sweeping trade wars with America’s friends were evident long before today’s decision,” former Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement.
