In his public statements, President Donald Trump has crowed about the vast sums his tariffs will raise. ¡°It will be a BONANZA FOR AMERICA!!!¡± he said in a social media post.

Before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, his lawyer said something different.

The tariffs were tools to achieve policy goals, said D. John Sauer, the solicitor general. ¡°The fact that they raise revenue,¡± he said, ¡°is only incidental.¡±