‘Without tariffs, our country would be destroyed’: Trump defends trade policies after court ruling, thanks Obama-appointed judge

US President Donald Trump has claimed that tariffs imposed during his administration brought in “trillions of dollars” to the US economy, even as a federal appeals court ruled that he had exceeded his constitutional authority by imposing them without congressional approval.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump defended his trade agenda, writing, “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. In a 7 to 4 Opinion, a Radical Left group of judges didn’t care, but one Democrat, Obama appointed, actually voted to save our Country. I would like to thank him for his Courage! He loves and respects the USA.”

His remarks followed Friday’s ruling by the US Court of Appeals, which found that Trump had overstepped his powers by unilaterally imposing so-called “reciprocal tariffs.” The court stressed that the authority to levy tariffs lies “exclusively” with Congress as part of its constitutional role over taxation and trade.

The judges also rejected Trump’s reliance on the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), noting that while it grants certain emergency powers, it does not extend to imposing tariffs or taxes.

The ruling, delivered by a 7-4 majority, has been stayed until October 14 to give the administration time to appeal. Trump signaled that he intends to escalate the case to the US Supreme Court, warning that the decision undermines presidential powers needed to protect US economic interests.

Meanwhile, tariffs on steel and aluminium imposed under a different legal statute remain unaffected.