NY Governor Demands $13.5B in Tariff Refunds After Supreme Court Ruling

New York's governor is demanding $13.5 billion in tariff refunds following a Supreme Court decision that struck down President Trump's widespread tariffs. Governor Kathy Hochul claims the tariffs cost average New York families over $1,700 last year and hurt small businesses.

Governor Kathy Hochul of New York is demanding the Trump administration return $13.5 billion in tariff collections following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned President Donald Trump’s extensive tariff program.

After Trump returned to office last year, he implemented widespread tariffs affecting most countries globally. Trump referred to this action as “Liberation Day,” though it sparked numerous legal challenges from business groups and several states.

According to Hochul, these tariffs imposed an estimated $1,751 in additional expenses on typical New York families during the past year while damaging small businesses throughout the state.

“These senseless and illegal tariffs were just a tax on New York consumers, small businesses and farmers, and that’s why I’m demanding a full refund,” the governor said.

Hochul’s demand follows similar requests made last week by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who also urged the Republican president to provide refunds after the Supreme Court decision.

The three Democratic governors are all viewed as potential candidates for the 2028 presidential race.

The White House rejected the governors’ requests, claiming they had spent years discussing problems that Trump was able to solve.

“President Trump used tariffs to actually deliver where Democrats could only talk, so naturally Democrats are resorting to gathering more meaningless popcorn headlines – pathetic but unsurprising,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement.

Last week, Reuters reported that economists from the Penn Wharton Budget Model calculated that over $175 billion in tariff collections across the United States could be eligible for refunds.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated that lower courts will handle the matter of tariff refunds.