'People won't see it': Trump admin offers alternative reality of court's ruling
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President Donald Trump holds a Cabinet meeting, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in the Cabinet Room. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent delivered an alternative interpretation of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on Friday that struck down the legal basis for the president’s sweeping global tariffs, which the justices ruled was an unlawful use of executive authority.
“President Trump will always put our national security and Americans first," Bessent told the Economic Club of Dallas, as Mediaite reported.
"Let’s be clear about what today’s ruling was and what it wasn’t. Despite the misplaced gloating from Democrats, ill-informed media outlets, and the very people who gutted our industrial base — the court did not rule against President Trump’s tariffs," Bessent insisted.
Rather, he continued, the six justices "simply ruled that IEEPA authorities cannot be used to raise even $1 of revenue.”
He vowed that the Trump administration would "invoke alternative legal authorities" to replace the vehicle used to collect tariffs, which he said would be "virtually" equal to the level that was previously being collected.
The Secretary, commenting on whether consumers will get refunds from the approximately $175 billion in tariffs already collected, also said, "I got a feeling the American people won't see it."