'Without tariffs, our country would be destroyed': Trump lashes out after court rules trade duties illegal

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US President Donald Trump on Monday launched a staunch defense of his signature tariff policies, framing them as essential for both America’s economic stability and military might.

“Without Tariffs, and all of the TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS we have already taken in, our Country would be completely destroyed, and our military power would be instantly obliterated,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The comments come just days after a federal appeals court dealt a significant blow to his trade agenda, ruling that most of the tariffs imposed by his administration were not legally authorised.

The court ruling

On Friday, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in a 7–4 decision that Trump exceeded his authority when he invoked emergency powers to slap tariffs on foreign imports.

The judges concluded that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not permit the kind of broad tariffs Trump enacted earlier this year. The unsigned opinion upheld a lower court’s decision and described his move as an unprecedented overreach of executive authority.

The ruling stressed that under the US Constitution, the power to levy taxes and tariffs rests primarily with Congress, not the executive branch.

Tariffs still in place 

Although the court struck down Trump’s legal basis, it allowed the tariffs to remain in place through October 14, giving the administration time to appeal to the US Supreme Court.

The case involves Trump’s reciprocal tariffs introduced in April, as well as additional tariffs imposed in February on China, Canada, and Mexico.

In his reaction, Trump blasted the decision as coming from a 'highly Partisan Appeals Court' led by 'a Radical Left group of judges.'

But he singled out one judge, a Democratic appointee, who dissented from the majority and voted in his favor. “I would like to thank him for his Courage! He loves and respects the U.S.A.,” Trump wrote.

Despite the setback, Trump insisted that all tariffs remain in force, underscoring his determination to keep trade restrictions as a central plank of his economic and national security strategy.