Trump Labels Tariff Opponents ‘Strongly China-Oriented’ Amid Supreme Court Tariff Clash

President Donald Trump on Thursday accused the companies behind a major legal challenge to his tariff authority of being “strongly China-oriented,” as the United States Supreme Court weighs the future of his use of emergency powers to impose sweeping duties on imports.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “The people who brought the Tariff Litigation against our Country, now in the United States Supreme Court, are strongly China-oriented, and very upset by the fact that the United States is doing so well — GIANT GROWTH AND INVESTMENT, ALMOST NO INFLATION!”

He added: “These people, in some cases Americans, should be ashamed of themselves. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Trump’s comments come as the Supreme Court considers whether the president can impose broad tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a law traditionally used for sanctions and financial controls during national emergencies.

Lower courts have questioned whether the statute allows a president to levy duties of such scope without explicit congressional authorization. A federal appeals panel previously ruled that Trump’s tariff orders stretched the law beyond its intended limits, finding that several of the duties required clearer approval from Congress.

The Trump administration has defended the orders, arguing the statute grants the president broad authority to respond to national economic and security threats. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in November, with some conservative justices expressing skepticism about using the law as a foundation for far-reaching trade policy.

The plaintiffs in the case — Learning Resources Inc. and hand2mind Inc. — are American, family-owned companies based in Illinois that develop educational products for schools and families. Court filings show the companies outsource much of their manufacturing overseas and import products from several countries, including China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, and India.

Learning Resources reportedly has relied on Chinese manufacturing for decades, and company executives have said the sharp escalation of tariffs on Chinese goods dramatically increased their costs. The company previously estimated its annual tariff bill could surge from a few million dollars to well over $100 million, making it economically unfeasible to continue importing certain products.

Under U.S. law, tariffs are paid by the American importer, not foreign manufacturers. The companies argued in their lawsuit that the Constitution gives Congress, not the executive branch, the authority to impose tariffs, and that the statute does not authorize the sweeping duties imposed under Trump’s orders.