President Donald Trump is pushing back after a federal appeals court ruled he overstepped his authority by using emergency powers to impose billions in tariffs.
In a fiery Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump warned that removing the tariffs would lead to America's "complete destruction."
"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.
According to NDTV, he also thanked a Democratic judge for siding with him in the 7-4 decision, calling it an act of "courage."
The ruling, delivered Friday by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, concluded that Trump's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) did not give him the legal authority to impose the import duties.
The court said the tariffs represented a serious overreach of executive power, reminding that Congress holds the constitutional right to set tariffs.
Trump is screeching about the appeals court ruling finding his disastrous tariffs illegal (they are). He claims “if allowed to stand, this decision will literally destroy the United States of America.” No @realDonaldTrump, YOU are literally destroying the United States of America pic.twitter.com/y5mYxNvcvM
— Andrew—#IAmTheResistance—Wortman (@AmoneyResists) August 29, 2025
Trump Slams Court Ruling, Says Tariffs Still in Full Effect
Despite the legal blow, the court delayed enforcement of its decision until mid-October. This gives Trump's legal team, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, time to appeal the ruling to the US Supreme Court. In the meantime, the tariffs remain in place.
Trump dismissed the ruling as political, referring to the court as a "Highly Partisan Appeals Court" and insisting the tariffs are still working.
"ALL TARIFFS ARE STILL IN EFFECT!" he posted on Friday. "If these tariffs ever went away, it would be a total disaster for the country. It would make us financially weak, and we have to be strong."
Since implementing the tariffs, the US Treasury has reported a sharp rise in tariff revenues.
Government data released on August 28 shows that the US has brought in $183.1 billion in tariff revenue so far this fiscal year, FoxBusiness said.
Tariff revenue rose steadily over the summer, increasing from $17.4 billion in April to almost $30 billion by July.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has supported the policy, saying the revenue could be used to reduce the national debt, which now stands at $37.2 trillion.
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