President Donald Trump has refused to back down on the vital issue of industry-protecting US tariffs even as hordes of angry “experts” have gone on the attack against him over his utilization of tariff duties to boost tax revenue while encouraging domestic industry, and the result has been a steady stream of vindicating victories for him.
For example, it came out in the mid-summer of 2025 that, far from increasing inflation as the experts claimed would happen, inflation is down in America as the tariffs kick in and start levying customs duties on goods imported from abroad, news that President Trump quickly took to Truth Social to declare victory over.
Similarly, it was announced in mid-July that, despite the Liberation Day tariffs only having been announced in spring of 2025, a whopping $100 billion in tariff revenue and customs duties have so far been collected from importers, new revenue that led to monthly tax surplus in June of 2025, the first in half a decade. As of mid-July, it is expected that a massive $300 billion in customs duties will be collected overall in 2025.
President Trump has used the news to continue standing firm on his pro-tariff stance. For example, in a Monday, July 14 post on Truth Social, the president argued that American trade and military policy has long been designed to benefit the world while ripping off America to the tune of trillions of dollars, and that it is time for that to end.
Beginning the post, the president argued that both supposed friends and known foes have long taken advantage of America, saying, “The United States of America has been ripped off on TRADE (and MILITARY!), by friend and foe, alike, for DECADES. It has come at a cost of TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS, and it is just not sustainable any longer – And never was!”
He added that the free ride is over, but he and his administration are more than willing to negotiate a mutually beneficial deal that ends the long-term free ride. He wrote, “Countries should sit back and say, ‘Thank you for the many year’s long free ride, but we know you now have to do what’s right for America.’ We should respond by saying, ‘Thank you for understanding the situation we are in. Greatly appreciated!’”
Similarly, in a pot a few days beforehand, he announced a tariff that would protect American copper producers for reasons of national security, saying, “I am announcing a 50% TARIFF on Copper, effective August 1, 2025, after receiving a robust NATIONAL SECURITY ASSESSMENT. Copper is necessary for Semiconductors, Aircraft, Ships, Ammunition, Data Centers, Lithium-ion Batteries, Radar Systems, Missile Defense Systems, and even, Hypersonic Weapons, of which we are building many.”
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He added, further justifying the tariffs and noting that poor policy has decimated the domestic copper producers, “Copper is the second most used material by the Department of Defense! Why did our foolish (and SLEEPY!) ‘Leaders’ decimate this important Industry? This 50% TARIFF will reverse the Biden Administration’s thoughtless behavior, and stupidity. America will, once again, build a DOMINANT Copper Industry. THIS IS, AFTER ALL, OUR GOLDEN AGE!”
Watch Trump ally Kevin O’Leary defend the Trump tariffs here: