Speaking in an interview with CNBC, Trump criticised the court’s decision, arguing that a minor change in the judgment could have prevented the repayment of tariffs already collected. He described the situation as “very sad” and said the ruling would force the government to return large sums of money, including to countries he characterised as adversarial.
“All they had to do is add one sentence… you don’t have to pay back tariffs that have already been received,” Trump said, adding that the repayments could total more than $160 billion.
The US administration is now working on implementing tariffs through an alternative legal route that complies with the court’s ruling, he said. Trump added that the revised approach could ultimately generate higher revenues, though it may be more complex to execute.
Tariffs have been a central element of Trump’s economic strategy, aimed at reducing trade imbalances and increasing domestic manufacturing competitiveness. The potential repayment, if executed, could have fiscal implications and alter the effectiveness of past trade measures.
The development also comes amid broader economic and geopolitical pressures, including ongoing tensions in West Asia and elevated global energy prices, which have already added uncertainty to markets.
Trump said the government would continue pursuing tariff measures despite the ruling, signalling that trade policy will remain a key lever in his administration’s economic approach.
