VA Lawmakers React To SCOTUS Ruling On Trump's Illegal Tariffs

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled that sweeping tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on countries worldwide violate federal law, a decision that prompted swift responses from some Virginia lawmakers and Gov. Abigail Spanberger.

The ruling, the first of Trump's wider agenda to appear before SCOTUS since the start of his second term last year, is seen as a major blow to the president. In the past, Trump has repeatedly described the case as one of the most important in U.S. history, claiming the country is "screwed" if the tariffs are struck down.

In a majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the judges decided by a vote of 6-3 that the sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs Trump levied on nearly every country in the world are unlawful.

The majority also found that the Constitution “very clearly” gives Congress the power to impose taxes, which include tariffs. “The Framers did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch,” Roberts wrote.

Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh dissented.

Spanberger said in a statement that the Trump Administration’s trade policies are causing financial strain for Virginians.

"Over the past year, the president’s reckless tariffs have raised costs for Virginia families, increased input costs for Virginia’s farmers and producers, and closed entire markets to their products. For small and large businesses alike — particularly those that rely on the Port of Virginia — these policies have created tremendous uncertainty," the governor said.

“The president should be focused on delivering real relief for families, farmers, and business owners — not unleashing another trade war and threatening a new, massive tax on Virginians. Amid this chaos, I remain laser-focused on driving down costs for Virginia families, supporting the men and women who keep Virginia’s agriculture industry strong, and creating a stable business environment so Virginia companies can hire, expand, and continue to invest in our Commonwealth.”

In a statement released following the ruling, U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) applauded the court's decision.

"What (the tariffs) did do was raise costs on every single American, making life harder and more expensive for everyone," Subramanyam said. "The tariffs have also hurt small businesses, some of which have taken huge losses or simply closed down. And they hurt our economy, undermined our relationships around the world, and empowered our adversaries to take business opportunities from American companies."

Rep. Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) also weighed in, calling Trump's tariffs "an unconstitutional overstep of congressional authority."

"After months of skyrocketing grocery prices, staggering inflation and rising energy bills, this critical decision helps restore the separation of powers and takes a firm stand against this Administration’s attempted executive overreach," McClellan said.

Other reactions from Virginia lawmakers were:

Imposed by Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the tariffs have drawn scrutiny worldwide, including in the United States, from business leaders and organizations.

The Treasury had collected more than $133 billion from the import taxes the president has imposed under the emergency powers law as of December, federal data shows. The impact over the next decade was estimated at some $3 trillion.

The court majority did not address whether companies could get refunded for the billions they have collectively paid in tariffs. Many companies, including the big-box warehouse chain Costco, have already lined up to demand refunds in lower courts.

The tariff decision also doesn’t stop Trump from imposing duties under other laws. While those have more limitations on the speed and severity of Trump’s actions, top administration officials have said they expect to keep the tariff framework in place under other authorities.

Trump called the majority decision “a disgrace” when he was notified during his morning meeting with several governors, according to someone with direct knowledge of the president’s reaction who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private conversation.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.