President Trump was standing behind a lectern in the East Room of the White House on Friday morning when Jamieson Greer, the U.S. trade representative, passed him a note.
The Supreme Court had ruled against him, striking down his sweeping tariffs.
The ruling, Mr. Trump said, was a “disgrace.” Speaking to a crowd of governors, cabinet officials and White House aides, the president lashed out at the court but insisted that he had a contingency plan.
He took one more question from Gov. Josh Stein of North Carolina, a Democrat, about hurricane assistance, but then ended the meeting early. He wanted to work on his response to the ruling, he said.
For Mr. Trump, the Supreme Court decision was not just a political setback, but a personal one. He has promoted tariffs for decades, and has claimed that his sweeping levies resuscitated the economy and revived American manufacturing.
“Tariff is my favorite word in the whole dictionary,” he said Thursday at an event in Rome, Ga.
Data released on Thursday showed Mr. Trump’s tariffs were not having the effect he had promised they would. U.S. imports grew last year, and the trade deficit in goods hit a record high. U.S. manufacturers have also cut more than 80,000 jobs in the past year.
But in Georgia, Mr. Trump did not mention that data. Instead, he said the tariffs were necessary to the country’s economic success. For that reason, he said, he was worried about how the Supreme Court would rule. His tone suggested he had an ominous inkling.
“I have to wait for this decision,” he said, raising his voice. “I’ve been waiting forever. Forever. And the language is clear that I have the right to do it as president. I have the right to put tariffs on for national security purposes.”
Reid J. Epstein contributed reporting.
Tyler Pager is a White House correspondent for The Times, covering President Trump and his administration.
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