US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on board Air Force One on his way back to the White House from a weekend trip at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo) US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he will not attend the Supreme Court’s upcoming oral arguments on the legality of his global tariffs, saying he does not want to draw attention away from the proceedings.
“I wanted to go so badly,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington after a weekend in Florida, as reported by Reuters. “I just don’t want to do anything to deflect the importance of that decision. … I don’t want to call a lot of attention to me. It’s not about me, it’s about our country.”
The justices are scheduled to hear arguments on Wednesday in a case challenging the broad tariffs Trump imposed during his first term, a key part of his economic and trade agenda.
The Supreme Court is set to review a lower court’s ruling that found Trump had overstepped his authority in imposing most of his tariffs under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The decision to take up the Justice Department’s appeal marks a major test of presidential power over trade and national security.
The tariffs, affecting goods from multiple countries, were challenged by a coalition of businesses and 12 US states that argued the measures hurt domestic industries and consumers.
Trump defends tariffs as vital for national security
Trump defended his use of tariffs as a tool to protect American jobs and strengthen the economy, saying they had generated revenue and driven stock markets to record highs.
“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 took advantage of us,” he said, reported Reuters.
“We were subject to being abused by a lot of other countries, including China. For years, not anymore. Tariffs have brought us tremendous national security,” Trump added.
(With inputs from agencies)