Washington, DC, 13 January (H.S.): President Donald Trump cautioned Monday that a Supreme Court decision overturning his sweeping tariffs would leave the United States screwed, forcing repayment of hundreds of billions to domestic companies alongside trillions more in demanded investment reversals from foreign partners.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump described the potential fallout as a complete mess, and almost impossible for our Country to pay, spotlighting his invocation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify reciprocal duties on virtually all trade partners plus targeted levies against Mexico, Canada, and China over drug trafficking concerns.

High Court Skepticism Looms

The justices, during November oral arguments, displayed profound doubt across ideological lines—six conservatives and three liberals alike—over whether IEEPA authorizes tariff imposition, distinct from Trump's sector-specific steel, aluminum, and auto measures. Wednesday's opinion release may address the case, challenging the average effective US tariff rate now rivaling 1930s peaks.

Trump has elevated protectionism as economic cornerstone, cautioning calamity should courts dismantle it, amid broader salvos like today's 25 percent duties on Iran's commerce partners.

Economic Cataclysm Foretold

Trump elaborated that foreign payback for tariff-avoidance investments—spanning trillions—would compound refunds, framing the policy as National Security bonanza imperiled by judicial overreach. Critics assail the duties' drag on consumers and exporters, yet administration officials tout revenue surges and leverage against illicit flows fueling US opioid crises.

The ruling could redefine presidential trade latitude, testing IEEPA's post-1977 scope beyond sanctions into outright barriers.

Broader Tariff Tempest

This alert synchronizes with Trump's Iran escalation—tariffs, Starlink consultations, military threats—and Venezuela maneuvers, underscoring tariffs as favored cudgel despite legal jeopardy. Allies brace for volatility; adversaries like China eye retaliation. As rulings near, markets monitor for seismic shifts in global commerce architecture long remade by Trump's playbook.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar