Trump warns of 'Great Depression' if appeals court curbs tariff power

Trump warns of ‘Great Depression’ if appeals court curbs tariff power

President Donald Trump said Friday that if an appeals court curbs his tariff authority, America could sink into a “Great Depression.”

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit hearing is considering a legal challenge to Trump’s ability to impose tariffs. Trump is worried about the court’s eventual decision, although his attorneys plan to appeal to the Supreme Court if the ruling doesn’t go Trump’s way.

“Tariffs are having a huge positive impact on the Stock Market. Almost every day, new records are set,” he wrote Friday.

“If a Radical Left Court ruled against us at this late date, in an attempt to bring down or disturb the largest amount of money, wealth creation and influence the U.S.A. has ever seen, it would be impossible to ever recover, or pay back, these massive sums of money and honor,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “It would be 1929 all over again, a GREAT DEPRESSION!”

Trump said the court should have ruled at the beginning of the case.

“If they were going to rule against the wealth, strength, and power of America, they should have done so LONG AGO, at the beginning of the case, where our entire Country, while never having a chance at this kind of GREATNESS again, would not have been put in 1929 style jeopardy,” Trump wrote. “There is no way America could recover from such a judicial tragedy, but I know our Court System better than anyone, there is no one in history that has gone through the trials, tribulations and uncertainties such as I, and absolutely terrible, but also amazingly beautiful, things can happen.”

One court has already ruled that Trump overstepped his authority, but Trump appealed the ruling.

In May, the three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of International Trade unanimously ruled that Congress did not give the president tariff authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. The ruling voided Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs and struck down other tariffs Trump issued under the IEEPA.

The administration appealed to the Federal Circuit, which ruled that Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs could remain in place while the legal challenge continued.

Appellate court judges scrutinized President Donald Trump’s tariff authority during oral arguments at the end of July. Judges asked attorneys on both sides of the case tough questions about the president’s authority to restructure global trade without help from Congress.

Trump has used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to underpin his “Liberation Day” tariffs. On April 2, Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners. He later suspended those higher tariffs but used the threat of higher taxes to get foreign nations to agree to new trade deals.

Trump’s full suite “Liberation Day” tariffs went into effect this week, hitting 66 countries, the 27-nation European Union and others.

The appeals court is expected to move quickly on its decision.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Screenshot 2025-06-05 at 1.43.14 PM

Board Meeting Shorts

Budget Amendment Approved: The board approved amendments to the fiscal year 2025 budget totaling $121.7 million in revenue and $120.1 million in expenses. Changes primarily reflect bond proceeds and related...
Screenshot 2025-06-05 at 1.43.56 PM

Student Council Presidents Highlight Senior Year Accomplishments

Lincoln Way's three student council presidents delivered their final speeches of the school year, highlighting major accomplishments and memorable events before graduating this weekend. Jason Sro from Lincoln Way Central...
Screenshot-2025-06-16-at-3.26.08-PM-1

Will County Board Meeting Briefs Package

COUNTY APPOINTMENTS Fire Protection District: Board approved county executive appointments to Manhattan Fire Protection District board. Agricultural Committee: Approved appointment to Agricultural Area Committee with Member Judy Ogala abstaining due...
Police blue and red flashing light on the car in the street

Manhattan Police Reports

On May 14th, at 1225 A.M. officers observed a vehicle traveling in the area of West North & Foxford at a high rate of speed. Officers radar indicated the gray...
Manhattan School District 114 Logo Graphic

Manhattan District Adopts New Math Program After Comprehensive Review

The Manhattan School District 114 Board of Education unanimously approved the adoption of Eureka Math Squared for kindergarten through eighth grade on Tuesday, concluding a year-long evaluation process involving 25...
Manhattan School District 114 Logo Graphic

Manhattan Junior High Scholastic Bowl Team Places Second at State Championship

Manhattan Junior High School's scholastic bowl team achieved a historic milestone by placing second in the state championship, marking the first time in the program's eight-year history that the team...
Manhattan School District 114 Logo Graphic

Enrollment Growth Prompts Staffing Discussions as Construction Continues

Manhattan School District 114 continues managing significant enrollment growth while construction projects remain on schedule for completion by the end of the school year. Current kindergarten enrollment of 218 students...
Manhattan School District 114 Logo Graphic

School District 114 Meeting Briefs

Budget Display Scheduled: The district's fiscal year 2025 amended budget will be on public display from May 15 through June 17, with board approval scheduled for the June 17 meeting....
Manhattan Township

Manhattan Road District Eyes $2.1M Budget, Hinges on Unguaranteed Solar Farm Funds

The Manhattan Township Road District is proposing a $2.15 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, a plan that includes the purchase of a new truck and finishing a storage...
Manhattan Township

Manhattan Township Delays Decision on Critical Server Upgrade Amid Security Concerns

Manhattan Township officials are weighing a costly but necessary technology upgrade after learning their primary server is a decade old and runs on unsupported software, posing a potential cybersecurity risk....
frankfort-park-district.1

Frankfort Park District Reorganizes Board, Explores Options for Tax-Impacting Projects

FRANKFORT – The Frankfort Park District Board seated its re-elected members, reorganized its leadership, and approved its new annual budget on Tuesday, while also revealing it is actively exploring options...
Manhattan Township

Assessor Announces End to “Empathetic” Tax Reductions, Raises Senior Freeze Threshold

Manhattan Township homeowners will see two significant changes in property assessment rules, including the end of a long-standing practice of granting tax reductions for fire-damaged properties and a beneficial increase...
Manhattan Township

Meeting Briefs: Manhattan Township for May 13, 2025

Officials Sworn into Office: Clerk Kelly Baltas administered the oath of office to newly elected and re-elected officials. Taking the oath were Supervisor James F. Walsh and Trustees Eileen Fitzer, Paul...
frankfort-park-district

Aging Sara Park Building Poses Challenge for Park District

The Frankfort Park District is grappling with how to address the deteriorating Sara Park building, whose roof is in "bad shape" and whose location within a flood plain complicates any...
frankfort-park-district.1

Meeting Briefs: Frankfort Park District Board for May 13, 2025

The Frankfort Park District Board of Commissioners re-elected its leadership team for a new term and approved its fiscal year 2025-2026 budget at its meeting on Tuesday. The board also...