California Governor Gavin Newsom called Friday for refund checks to be issued to American families and businesses after the US Supreme Court ruled President Donald Trump’s global tariffs were illegal.
Newsom, who is widely expected to be a presidential contender for the Democratic Party, said the money Trump’s tariffs had raised had come from the pockets of US voters — and should be refunded.
“Time to pay the piper, Donald. These tariffs were nothing more than an illegal cash grab that drove up prices and hurt working families, so you could wreck longstanding alliances and extort them,” he said.
“Every dollar unlawfully taken must be refunded immediately — with interest. Cough up!”
The tariffs have raised more than $130 billion from importers, with a significant proportion of that extra cost passed on to consumers through higher prices at the checkout.
A report by The Budget Lab at Yale University said the tariffs cost the average US household $1,700 last year.
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