Supreme Court Ruling Against U.S. Tariffs Would Turn into an Economic Disaster

Articles | September 9, 2025 | by Catholics for Catholics

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According to U.S. Secretary Scott Bessent: “Unwinding them could cause significant disruption.”

By Catholics for Catholics

If the Supreme Court sides against President Donald Trump’s trade agenda and forces the nation to return $1 trillion in tariff refunds, it could bring down the economy of the United States, said the Treasury Secretary.

Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, forewarned that the country could be on the verge of an economic collapse if the Supreme Court sides against President Trump’s trade agenda. He added that at the crux of the legal battle is the Trump administration’s wide-ranging use of tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), mainly “reciprocal tariffs” that have imposed extensive levies on imports.

However, according to The Daily Wire, two lower courts have deemed the tariffs unconstitutional, arguing they transgressed executive authority and amounted to taxation without congressional approval.

"We are trying to head off a crisis."

Treasury @SecScottBessent defends Trump tariffs after a federal appeals court setback: "We think we're gonna win at the Supreme Court." pic.twitter.com/Ly6MKYP3ZH

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 1, 2025

Make no mistake, Bessent said, if the Supreme Court decides against the Trump administration, the U.S. will be forced to give back $1 trillion to importers, which he deemed would be “terrible” for the economy and the treasury, according to the New York Post. “We’d have to do it,” Bessent told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “But it would be terrible.”

The Daily Wire reported that the U.S. has amassed tens of billions in tariff revenue since Trump’s “Liberation Day” in April, with $30 billion in July alone, a 242% spike year-over-year. The total potentially owed could reach up to $1 trillion if the Supreme Court delays action.

 “Unwinding them could cause significant disruption,” Bessent said, stressing that economic benefits such as record stock market highs, increased capital expenditures, and strong GDP growth are largely due to the Trump tariff strategy.