Trump warns Supreme Court tariff showdown is 'life or death' for America

Trump's tariffs head to the high court

The Supreme Court will weigh the limits of presidential authority.

President Donald Trump warned that the fate of the United States hangs in the balance ahead of Wednesday's hearing in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on his use of tariffs in a test of his presidential powers. 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the upcoming case is "literally, LIFE OR DEATH for our country."

The high court will consider whether Trump has the authority to impose tariffs on America’s trading partners.

The Trump administration argues in legal briefs that the justices should back the president’s tariffs and overturn rulings by two lower courts that struck them down.

TRUMP'S TARIFF POWER GRAB BARRELS TOWARD SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments over President Donald Trump's tariff authority. (Leon Neal/Getty Images and Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The court must decide whether a tariff is essentially a tax on imported goods. Trump has defended his use of tariffs as critical to national security.

"With a Victory, we have tremendous, but fair, Financial and National Security," Trump wrote. "Without it, we are virtually defenseless against other Countries who have, for years, taken advantage of us."

TRUMP ASKS SUPREME COURT FOR URGENT RULING ON TARIFF POWERS AS 'STAKES COULD NOT BE HIGHER'

A jockey truck passes a stack of 40-foot China Shipping containers at the Port of Savannah in Savannah, Ga. (Stephen B. Morton, File/AP Photo)

"Our Stock Market is consistently hitting Record Highs, and our Country has never been more respected than it is right now," he added. "A big part of this is the Economic Security created by Tariffs, and the Deals that we have negotiated because of them."

Trump has argued that the outcome will determine whether presidents can use tariffs freely as a tool for both economic leverage and national security.

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"Other countries use tariffs against us, and we weren't able to openly and freely use tariffs against them," Trump said. "I'll give you an example – China. That was going to be a disaster for the world, and I was able to settle it very quickly, very easily because I was able to use tariffs. It's total national security, and economic health is also part of national security, by the way."

Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].

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