Trump calls tariff case Supreme Court’s ‘most important decision’
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President Donald Trump defended his use of tariffs as critical to national security ahead of a landmark Supreme Court case, while warning that the United States would not tolerate the massacre of Christians in Nigeria and refusing to rule out possible military action in Venezuela.
Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Washington, DC.
He was asked about the upcoming Supreme Court trial over tariffs, which he called “one of the most important decisions in the history of our country.”
Trump argued that the outcome will determine whether presidents can freely use tariffs as a tool both to increase their economic influence and to ensure their national security.
TRUMP’S BARRELS OF TARIFF POWER TO THE SUPREME COURT
President Donald Trump said “if we don’t have tariffs, we don’t have national security…” during a rally aboard Air Force One on Sunday. (Reuters/Ken Cedeno)
“Other countries are using tariffs against us, and we have not been able to use them openly and freely against them,” Trump said. “I’ll give you an example: China. It was going to be a disaster for the world, and I was able to solve it very quickly, very easily because I was able to use tariffs. It’s total national security, and economic health is also part of national security, by the way.”
Trump said he would not attend the oral arguments to avoid drawing attention to himself, explaining: “It’s not about me. It’s about our country.” He plans to give a speech in Miami instead.
“I wanted to go so bad,” he said. “I just didn’t want to do anything that would distract from the importance of this decision. If we don’t have tariffs, we don’t have national security, and the rest of the world would laugh at us because they’ve used tariffs against us for years and taken advantage of us.”
TRUMP ASKS SUPREME COURT FOR URGENT RULING ON TARIFF POWERS AS ‘THE STAKES CANNOT BE HIGHER’
The Supreme Court building is seen in Washington, D.C. President Trump warned that the upcoming Supreme Court trial over tariffs could reshape the future of the United States economy and national security. (AP/Jon Elswick)
He credited tariffs with propelling the stock market to 48 record highs during his tenure and said they remained essential to “fair and sustainable” trade deals.
“We became rich,” he said. “Our stock market hit an all-time high on Friday – 48 all-time highs during my tenure – and a lot of that is due to tariffs and our good trade deals. Without that, you couldn’t have a good trade deal. We’ve been abused by many other countries, including China, for years. That’s not the case now. Tariffs have given us tremendous national security.”
Trump warned in an article on Truth Social that the upcoming Supreme Court trial over tariffs could reshape the future of the U.S. economy and national security, arguing that presidents must have the power to freely impose tariffs to protect U.S. interests and negotiate strong trade deals.
SUPREME COURT PREPARES TO FACE MONUMENTAL CASE ABOUT TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE POWER AND TARIFF AUTHORITY
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, Friday, October 10, 2025. (Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
He said tariffs fueled record market growth and “great wealth” during his presidency and remain key to maintaining the country’s competitiveness with world powers.
“This will be, in my opinion, one of the most important and consequential decisions ever made by the Supreme Court of the United States,” Trump said. “If we win, we will be by far the richest and safest country in the world. If we lose, our country could be reduced to third world status.”
On foreign policy, Trump dismissed questions about using frozen Russian assets as leverage, saying Europe and Russia were “having discussions” and he was “not involved.”
TRUMP’S SECONDARY RATES DEADLINE COMES; US-RUSSIAN RELATIONS ARE IN BALANCE
Ukrainian servicemen of the 44th artillery brigade fire a Bohdana 2s22 self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions on the front line in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Wednesday, August 20, 2025. (Danylo Antoniuk/AP Photo)
He ruled out sending long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, saying “not really” when asked if he was considering it.
“There is no straw that breaks the camel’s back,” he added. “Sometimes you have to let him fight – fight, then fight. It’s been a difficult war for a lot of soldiers.”
Trump also said the United States would not tolerate the massacres of Christians in Nigeria.
Trump Learns a Faith-Based Lesson: How to Best Resist Trade with China
President Trump said the United States would not tolerate the massacres of Christians in Nigeria. (Associated Press)
“They are killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria,” Trump said. “They are killing Christians and killing them in huge numbers. We are not going to allow that to happen.”
A day earlier, he warned that the United States would end aid if Abuja did not stop the killings and said he could order rapid action to eliminate Islamist terrorists after singling out Nigeria as a country of particular concern.
The persecution of Christians in Nigeria has reached a crisis level as Islamist militants burn villages, massacre worshipers and displace thousands of people in the northern and central regions.
Asked about possible U.S. strikes in Venezuela, Trump refused to confirm or deny, responding: “How do I answer a question like that?”
“Who would say that?” Trump asked a reporter. “If there was, would I tell you? Honestly. Yes, we have plans. We have top secret plans. Look, we’ll see what happens with Venezuela. Venezuela has taken us thousands and thousands, hundreds of thousands of people out of prisons, out of mental institutions, out of drug addicts – and out of other countries too.”
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He blamed President Biden’s immigration policies for allowing criminals to enter the United States, calling him “the worst president in the history of our country.”
Trump added: “So are other countries, because we were run by very stupid people, very, very stupid people. Biden, who is by far the worst president in the history of our country… Many countries have sent their prisoners – they have sent drug dealers, they have sent drug addicts. They sent everyone they didn’t want. They sent them across our country. And Venezuela was one of the worst abusers.
