Trump says refunding tariff revenues would be a 'national security catastrophe'

ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump said Monday that the tariff revenue and investments the government would have to pay back would be "in excess of $2 trillion" if the Supreme Court rules that his tariffs are illegal, saying it would be "a national security catastrophe."

"The 'Pay Back' Numbers being quoted by the Radical Left Lunatics, who would love to see us lose on Tariffs because of how bad it would be for our Country, are much higher than those being stated by our Fake Opposition — Opposition mainly from Foreign Countries that would do anything to be allowed to charge us Tariffs without retribution," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"The actual Number we would have to pay back in Tariff Revenue and Investments would be in excess of $2 Trillion Dollars, and that, in itself, would be a National Security catastrophe," he noted.

Trump emphasized that those opposed to the tariffs in the Supreme Court are giving low numbers regarding the tariffs so that the Court will think it "is easy to get out of this terrible situation that these Anarchists and Thugs have put us into!"

Last week, the US Supreme Court heard arguments in a case considering whether Trump's tariffs exceeded the president's authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Those opposing the tariffs argued that interpreting the act’s authority to regulate imports in emergencies as allowing the president to impose unilateral tariffs at a global scale raises constitutional issues. However, the Trump administration argues that reciprocal tariffs were fully compliant with the law.

If the court rejects Trump’s argument, the president will not be able to leverage IEEPA for future tariffs.

The Supreme Court has not yet issued a ruling, and the timing of the ruling is still not certain.

Trump previously described the case as "literally, life or death" for the country, emphasizing what he sees as critical stakes for its economic and national security.

As of September, which marked the end of the fiscal year, the US generated $195 billion in tariff revenue. From February to September, around $176 billion in tariffs entered the Treasury Department.