File photo: US President Donald Trump (Picture credit: AP)

US President Donald Trump on Saturday defended his sweeping tariff regime, saying the duties had made the country “Rich, Strong, Powerful, and Safe,” in a post on his Truth Social account. Trump argued that because of the tariff framework he “set in place,” the United States now holds “all the cards,” asserting that the measures had stopped wars, strengthened alliances and prevented other nations from “ripping off the United States anymore.”He claimed the stock market and retirement savings had surged, adding that “Inflation, Prices and Taxes are down,” and that education was “being brought back to the States.” Trump also said the US military and southern border were “the strongest they have ever been,” contending that the country is “respected again, respected like never before.”He attributed these outcomes to what he described as “Strong leadership and tariffs.”The president’s remarks come at a sensitive moment, as the Supreme Court is preparing to rule on the extent of presidential authority to impose duties without congressional approval. Tariff revenues have climbed sharply in recent months, as per Fox Business, reaching a record $34.2 billion in October. Total duty collections were $215.2 billion in fiscal year 2025, and the Treasury has reported $41.6 billion in revenue so far in fiscal 2026.Since Trump unveiled his “Liberation Day” tariffs in April, collections jumped from $23.9 billion in May to $29 billion in July, with August and September together bringing in $62.6 billion, reported Fox Business. US businesses pay these import taxes but often pass on the costs to consumers, though Trump has recently lifted some duties to ease price pressures.Trump has pledged that tariff revenues could finance a one-time $2,000 dividend for low- and middle-income households. As per Fox Business, US trade representative Jamieson Greer recently said that the payments would not fuel inflation, stressing they would provide “welcome relief” without altering the broader economic outlook. Trump ended his post by urging Americans to “pray to God” that the Supreme Court “do the right thing for America.”