Now, however, with the tariff receipts mounting and legal scrutiny ramping up, he’s doubling down.

Tariffs: The Engine Behind the Idea
Trump framed the move as a win‑win: tariffs raise revenue, domestic investment surges, and Americans get a cash bonus.

On Truth Social he declared: “People that are against Tariffs are FOOLS! We are now the Richest, Most Respected Country In the World, With Almost No Inflation, and A Record Stock Market Price. 401k’s are Highest EVER.”

He added: “We are taking in Trillions of Dollars and will soon begin paying down our ENORMOUS DEBT, $37 Trillion. Record Investment in the USA, plants and factories going up all over the place.”

The money‑machine he envisions rests on tariffs sweeping across global imports — the very trade tool under fire in the courts.

For example, he wrote: “So, let’s get this