Trump says court blocking tariffs would be 'biggest' security threat

US President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that a potential Supreme Court ruling against his power to apply tariffs would threaten national security.

Since November 5, the court has been examining the legality of Trump's sweeping tariff policy, although no date has been set for a ruling.

Several businesses and Democratic-led states have also filed complaints with the US Court of International Trade, arguing that the tariffs are unconstitutional as the power to impose them rests with Congress.

"The biggest threat in history to United States National Security would be a negative decision on Tariffs by the US Supreme Court," Trump said on social media.

The United States would be "financially defenseless" if the Supreme Court ruled against him, Trump said.

"We would not be allowed to do what others already do!" he added in the post, along with a photo of French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to China last week.

On Sunday, Macron threatened China with tariffs "in the coming months" if Beijing fails to take steps to reduce its massive trade surplus with the European Union.

Trump said in his post that "because of Tariffs, easily and quickly applied, our National Security has been greatly enhanced, and we have become the financially strongest Country, by far, anywhere in the World. Only dark and sinister forces would want to see that end!!!"

Trump's approval ratings have slumped to their lowest point since his return to office in January, particularly over the cost of living, which Americans have blamed at least partly on tariffs.

US inflation accelerated in September to 2.8 percent on an annual basis.

The issue has also caused a rift within the MAGA movement. Former close ally Marjorie Taylor Greene, who broke with Trump in November, said the president had failed to focus on affordability.

Last week, Costco became the largest and most well-known US company to challenge the tariffs, which are a cornerstone of Trump's policy to address what he views as a chronic imbalance in US trade and to exert diplomatic pressure on other countries.

AFP