Durbin Reacts To Supreme Court Striking Down Trump’s Tariff Tax

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) reacted to last week’s Supreme Court ruling to strike down most—70 percent—of the tariffs enacted by President Trump.

“Tariffs can be useful when used strategically, but President Trump exceeded these authorities, as clearly defined by Congress, and the Supreme Court, by a vote of 6-3, told him as much. He defied basic economic sense,” Durbin said. “Just ask any American business or consumer who suffered under this chaotic policy. Last year, the average American family paid more than $1,700 in tariff costs.”

Durbin went on to outline how Trump’s tariffs have negatively impacted American manufacturing and farming.

“The chaos unleashed by this Administration’s attacks on American business and consumers also resulted in a massive decline in manufacturing jobs last year—jobs the President promised he would be creating and booming. In fact, U.S. factories employ 72,000 fewer people than they did in April of 2025, with more declines every single month,” Durbin said. “The President has also broken his promise many times over to the farmers in Illinois. His tariffs have made farming in Illinois unprofitable. Not just by making fertilizer, seeds, machinery, and equipment more expensive, but also by wrecking export markets like China for years to come.”

Durbin concluded by calling on Congress and the Trump Administration to ensure that small businesses and consumers across the country get their money back from Trump’s Tariff Tax.

“Last week’s decision was a victory for America, and a defeat for this President. It was a victory for the rule of law. But the damage has been done to small businesses and balance sheets across this country. Instead of reconsidering his position after a clear 6-3 loss in the Supreme Court, President Trump is whipsawing between new tariffs, new taxes, resulting in the European Union halting a trade deal with us as they consider their next steps,” Durbin said. “Chaos, turmoil—the President thrives on it. But the American families and the economy do not. It is up to Congress to reject those desperate gambles by the President.”

Durbin concluded, “Congress must also act to ensure that small businesses across the country get their money back as soon as possible. And how about the families who paid for these products that have been taxed by the Trump Tariff Tax? They deserve relief, too. If we’re concerned about the cost of living, as it hits American families, they need to have some relief, too, and the President, after losing in the Supreme Court, [needs to] pay this money back.”

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