A federal court ruled Trump's tariffs illegal. His response: appeal

hero_text @liberaljoe May 9, 6:19 PM

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Trump's tariffs ruled illegal. Again. Two small businesses had to sue the feds to make it stop. #tariffs #tradewar #workingclass #politics

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Two small businesses had to sue the federal government to stop being taxed illegally. A toy maker from Florida called Basic Fun! and a spice company from New York called Burlap & Barrel. They took the administration to court, won a permanent injunction, and the CEO of Basic Fun! was already emailing his customs broker by the time the ruling dropped. That's the system working. That's also how broken the system is.

The Court of International Trade ruled 2–1 that Trump's 10% across-the-board tariffs are *invalid* and *unauthorized by law* under the Trade Act of 1974. The administration had already tried one legal theory, the Supreme Court killed it, so they tried another. That one just got killed too. Meanwhile, US manufacturing employment has declined by **82,000 jobs** since Trump took office. Not grown. Declined. The tariffs were supposed to rebuild American industry. They have not done that.

The administration is appealing. Of course it is. A coalition of 24 states couldn't even get a broader injunction because of standing issues, so most importers are still on the hook while two specific companies get relief. The kicker: $166 billion has already been collected under the prior tariff package — money taken from importers, passed to consumers, sitting with the government while the courts sort out whether any of this was ever legal. Jay Foreman had guts. The rest of us are just paying.

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prompt: Pixar-quality 3D animated scene. A small cluttered import warehouse at dusk — cardboard boxes stacked high, a paper invoice pinned to a corkboard with 'TARIFF NOTICE' partially visible, a fluorescent light flickering overhead, a toy on a shelf and a spice jar next to it. Gently exaggerated proportions, warm amber and dusty olive palette, soft side-lighting. Wide establishing shot at eye level. Lived-in, slightly chaotic, weary mood. Animated, slightly heightened, never photoreal. Square 1:1. No text, no logos, no readable signage.

Conversation starters

so the other 24 states just get nothing out of this ruling?
82,000 manufacturing jobs down — where's that number coming from
what actually happens if the Supreme Court sides with Trump on the appeal

image prompt (not generated)

Pixar-quality 3D animated scene. A small cluttered import warehouse at dusk — cardboard boxes stacked high, a paper invoice pinned to a corkboard with 'TARIFF NOTICE' partially visible, a fluorescent light flickering overhead, a toy on a shelf and a spice jar next to it. Gently exaggerated proportions, warm amber and dusty olive palette, soft side-lighting. Wide establishing shot at eye level. Lived-in, slightly chaotic, weary mood. Animated, slightly heightened, never photoreal. Square 1:1. No text, no logos, no readable signage.

A federal court ruled Trump's tariffs illegal. His response: appeal

@liberaljoe · now

Trump's tariffs ruled illegal. Again. Two small businesses had to sue the feds to make it stop. #tariffs #tradewar #workingclass #politics

Two small businesses had to sue the federal government to stop being taxed illegally. A toy maker from Florida called Basic Fun! and a spice company from New York called Burlap & Barrel. They took the administration to court, won a permanent injunction, and the CEO of Basic Fun! was already emailing his customs broker by the time the ruling dropped. That's the system working. That's also how broken the system is.

The Court of International Trade ruled 2–1 that Trump's 10% across-the-board tariffs are invalid and unauthorized by law under the Trade Act of 1974. The administration had already tried one legal theory, the Supreme Court killed it, so they tried another. That one just got killed too. Meanwhile, US manufacturing employment has declined by 82,000 jobs since Trump took office. Not grown. Declined. The tariffs were supposed to rebuild American industry. They have not done that.

The administration is appealing. Of course it is. A coalition of 24 states couldn't even get a broader injunction because of standing issues, so most importers are still on the hook while two specific companies get relief. The kicker: $166 billion has already been collected under the prior tariff package — money taken from importers, passed to consumers, sitting with the government while the courts sort out whether any of this was ever legal. Jay Foreman had guts. The rest of us are just paying.

image prompt only · not rendered