Trump to skip Supreme Court hearing on legality of his global tariffs

President Donald Trump said he will not attend the Supreme Court hearing on his global tariffs next week. He added that the case is one of the most important in U.S. history and said he does not want to distract from the decision.

The Supreme Court will hear two combined cases on November 5 that will question the President’s use of an emergency law to set global tariffs. The lawsuits say his actions went too far and even surpassed the limits of presidential power.

Trump says tariffs make America great again

Trump stated that he imposed tariffs to protect American workers and businesses from unfair competition from other countries that had taken advantage of the United States through unfavorable trade agreements for many years.

He explained that the U.S. will only remain safe and powerful if it can use tariffs quickly and with full authority. But if that power is taken away from them, the economy will slowly fall behind those of other bidding countries.

The President explained that the new agreements increased production in the United States and reduced the country’s dependence on essential goods. He said that without these tariffs, America will lose its bargaining power and one of the few tools that can quickly protect its economy in times of crisis or unfair treatment from foreign governments.

The Oval Office leader said that if the Supreme Court rules against him, the decision could even push America to become a Third World country. He explained that all the country’s wealth and safety were tied to his ability to use the tariffs when necessary, so losing all that power could lead to years of decline.

Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One on November 2 and stated that he would not attend the Supreme Court hearing because he did not want to divert attention away from the significance of the case. He said the case should focus on the legal issues, rather than on him personally, because it was bigger than himself. 

Businesses and lawyers prepare for a historic Supreme Court battle

The Supreme Court will decide whether President Donald Trump went too far when he used an emergency law from 1977 to set tariffs on imported goods. Congress created the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to enable presidents to act quickly when the country faces threats from hostile foreign nations. However, Trump went overboard and applied the same law to both rival and ally nations, citing a desire to “protect national security and rebuild American industries.”

The case consists of two separate lawsuits that American companies have filed against each other. Learning Resources, Inc. brought the first case, stating that they struggled to produce and sell affordable learning tools because the tariffs increased the cost of materials and manufacturing. 

V.O.S. Selections, Inc. brought the second case and stated that they had to increase their charges for liquor products because the tariffs had significantly increased importation costs.

Both companies argued that the tariffs are illegal because Trump’s actions contravened the Constitution’s separation of powers.

Jeffrey Schwab is the lead lawyer representing V.O.S. Selections and the interim director of litigation at the Liberty Justice Center. He said his team will show the Supreme Court that the IEEPA law was intended only to address serious threats, such as terrorism or financial attacks, not to set everyday trade policies. He added that the White House could gain too much power and the role of Congress could weaken if a president could use emergency laws to impose tariffs at will. 

Many legal experts and economists oppose Trump, but the president claims that his policies have strengthened America economically and strategically. 

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