Trump tariffs: Arizona businesses weigh in on SCOTUS ruling

Trump tariff: SCOTUS rules they are illegal

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs are illegal, but the White House is pushing. Meanwhile, some Arizona businesses are breathing a sigh of relief. FOX 10's Megan Spector has more.

PHOENIX - Arizona business owners are reacting to a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court over tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.

The backstory:

On Feb. 20, SCOTUS ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize President Trump to impose his global tariffs.

In September 2025, the Trump administration requested that the Supreme Court rule quickly that Trump had the power to impose sweeping import taxes under federal law. The administration filed a petition requesting that the high court reverse an appeals court ruling that determined most of Trump’s tariffs are an illegal use of an emergency powers law, which gives the President broad authority to regulate a variety of economic transactions following a declaration of national emergency.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes celebrated the decision.

"Let’s be honest about what these tariffs actually were: an illegal tax on American families and businesses," AG Mayes said. "All year long, Americans have watched prices climb and wondered if anyone in power was going to do anything at all about this. We did something about it."

The tariffs decision doesn't stop President Donald Trump from imposing duties under other laws, which he has announced. 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.

Local perspective:

The decision by SCOTUS has brought a sigh of relief for many businesses across the Phoenix area.

"The ups and downs, it was almost on a monthly basis where we’d see tariffs go from 10% to 30% then back down to 10%, depending on how things are going," said Barry Chasse, CEO of Chasse Building Team. "It was really difficult to manage budgets when you had such an unstable environment where things were changing left and right."

What remains unknown, however, is if businesses or everyday consumers will be refunsed, as a lot of money has been collected under the tariffs.

 "It’s too early to tell what’s going to happen, because until they figure out what the court ruling means as far as the tariffs that were already collected - what happens with those? Is it going to be a credit? Is it going to be a refund? If it’s a refund, where do those funds come from?" SKU Distribution CEO James Peacock said.

"I think we’re going to have to take a legal perspective, look at this to see if now tariffs that were charged can be returned," said Chasse.