Trump: "Secured Trade Deals with South Korea Thanks to Tariffs... Will Have to Refund Trillions if We Lose"

Claims It Will Lead to Devastating Consequences for the U.S.
"If We Lose Tariffs, We'll Have to Return Trillions of Dollars"
Government's Arguments Were Strong... "But Alternatives Must Be Prepared"

On the 6th (local time), President Donald Trump of the United States asserted that "if we lose this lawsuit, the United States will face devastating consequences," in relation to the ongoing tariff lawsuit at the U.S. Supreme Court. Even a majority of the conservative-leaning justices have expressed skepticism about President Trump's imposition of tariffs based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), raising the possibility that the Supreme Court may limit the scope of tariff authority or invalidate certain provisions. If the Trump administration loses this case, it is expected that there will be significant repercussions, including large-scale tariff refunds.

Donald Trump, President of the United States, is sitting in the White House office in Washington D.C. on the 6th (local time). Photo by UPI

When asked by a reporter at the White House about what plans the administration had if it lost the case, President Trump responded, "This trial is one of the most important cases in American history," emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

President Trump claimed, "Thanks to the tariffs, we secured trade agreements worth 950 billion dollars with the European Union, 650 billion dollars with Japan, and 350 billion dollars with South Korea," adding, "Such amounts would not have been possible without the tariffs."

Previously, the United States and South Korea agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Korea from 25% to 15%, in exchange for South Korea pursuing investments in the U.S. totaling 350 billion dollars (approximately 500 trillion won). The two countries are expected to release a fact sheet containing the details soon, after finalizing the specifics.

Japan had already concluded trade negotiations with the United States, promising investments in the U.S. totaling 550 billion dollars, suggesting that President Trump may have confused the figures.

President Trump also stated, "If the Supreme Court takes away this (tariff authority), the United States will be defenseless against tariff attacks from other countries."

He further expressed concern, saying, "We have earned trillions of dollars through tariffs," and "If we lose the tariffs, we will have to return trillions of dollars."

If the Supreme Court finds the tariffs imposed by President Trump unconstitutional, it is projected that the Trump administration will have to return more than 100 billion dollars in tariffs to various companies.

Jamieson Greer, a representative of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), said in an interview with Fox News that, in response to a question assuming a government loss, "The reciprocal tariffs at issue in yesterday's Supreme Court hearing amount to more than 100 billion dollars, though not an exact figure, but I think it is less than 200 billion dollars."

He added, "If that happens, we will probably have to work with the courts to determine the refund schedule, the rights of the parties involved, and what rights the government has," indicating that the refund process would be extremely complex.

The previous day, as the Supreme Court began hearings to determine the legality of President Trump's tariff policy, even a majority of conservative justices expressed skepticism about the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), raising the possibility that the Court may limit the scope of tariff authority or invalidate certain provisions. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) analyzed that "there is a high likelihood the Supreme Court will decide to reduce the scope of tariff authority or invalidate certain provisions."

President Trump commented on the government's arguments during the Supreme Court hearing the previous day, saying, "I think they did very well," but added, "However, I believe we must prepare alternatives."