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New Data Shows American Businesses Have Paid $265 Billion in Overall Presidential Tariffs & $151 Billion in Illegal IEEPA Tariffs
State by State "Liberation Day" View: Texas has paid $28 billion, Georgia $16 billion, Ohio $8.7 billion, and Florida $9.1 billion in presidential tariffs since March 2025. Businesses in all 50 states are still waiting for refunds of $151 billion in tariffs the Supreme Court ruled were illegally collected. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. -- April 2, 2026 -- One year to the day after President Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcement, new Census Bureau data shows
We Pay the Tariffs
Apr 2
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Op-Ed's and Media Mentions
Coalition Members Speak Out: Four Small Businesses, One Tariff Reality
Across the country, small business owners are stepping forward to share what tariffs have meant for their businesses. Not in theory, but in real numbers, real decisions, and real consequences. Four members of the We Pay the Tariffs coalition recently published op-eds in outlets across the country. Each story is different, but together they reveal a consistent pattern: tariffs created immediate financial pressure, and refunds are essential for recovery. Four Stories from Coali
We Pay the Tariffs
2 days ago
READ: We Pay the Tariffs Coalition Members on Tariff Whiplash & Uncertainty
Small businesses that have joined the We Pay the Tariffs effort are continuing to speak out on the impacts tariffs have had on their businesses and the importance of refunds for their company survival. See two stories below: Julie Robbins, CEO of EarthQuaker Devices, an Ohio-based maker of boutique guitar pedals, spoke with Chief Executive. She said: "If we receive refunds, and I believe we will, the money won’t feel like a windfall. It will mostly go toward paying down the l
We Pay the Tariffs
Mar 17
WATCH: New Day Products on tariff impacts
Alex and Don Calamari, owners of New Day Products in Maricopa, Arizona, recently spoke with ABC15 Arizona about the impact tariffs have had on their business. New Day Products sells breast prosthetics for women who have undergone breast cancer treatment and faced an additional 20% tariff under IEEPA. They said: " We are the face of tariffs . It's not other countries, it's us. All these small businesses are the face of the tariffs."
We Pay the Tariffs
Mar 9
READ: We Pay the Tariffs coalition members in local press
Since the Supreme Court’s decision striking down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), several local news outlets have featured members of the We Pay the Tariffs coalition. These stories help bring the trade narrative back home—highlighting the real impacts tariffs have on our businesses, neighbors, and communities. See several of these stories below: Boise State Public Radio : Idaho business founder helped beat Trump tariffs in Supr
We Pay the Tariffs
Mar 5
ICYMI: TARIFF REFUND LETTER AND SCOTUS RESPONSE COVERAGE
50+ print and digital clips • 2 wire services (AP + Reuters) • Hundreds of AP syndication pickups • 14+ Dan Anthony quotes • 10+ WPT member businesses quoted by name • 48-hour coverage window
We Pay the Tariffs
Feb 25
Coalition Member Joann Cartiglia in Wall Street Journal Response to President Trump: Tariffs are a “Tax on the American Dream”
Joann Cartiglia, owner of The Queen’s Treasures and member of We Pay the Tariffs, published a powerful letter to the editor in The Wall Street Journal today responding directly to President Trump’s op-ed “My Tariffs Have Brought America Back.” Joann designs historical toys in Ticonderoga, NY that help kids use their imagination. Cartiglia on the real impact of tariffs on her small businesses: “Abruptly adding large tariffs to our products, when many of us have no domestic p
We Pay the Tariffs
Feb 6
Republican NC Small Business Owner in The Carolina Journal: "Tariffs are taxing Main Street. NC families are paying the price."
READ: Matthew Cagle, a Republican who voted for President Trump, founder and president of Rig'Em Right Outdoors in Morehead City and member of We Pay the Tariffs, published a powerful op-ed in The Carolina Journal today highlighting the devastating impact of tariffs on North Carolina small businesses and families. Matthew Cagle grew up in Greenville, NC, attended Rose High School, and now runs Rig'Em Right Outdoors in Morehead City. He graduated from NC State with a degree
We Pay the Tariffs
Jan 20
LISTEN: small business owner shares how Trump's tariffs affected sales.
LISTEN : Beth Benike, CEO of Busy Baby and We Pay the Tariffs coalition member, went on NPR's Morning Edition to discuss the impact of tariffs on her small business. She states: "We had the low revenue and things were quite difficult and debt was piling up. I had to let my brother go , and then I actually didn't pay myself for the whole summer. I went through my savings and I cashed in my retirement to keep the business afloat. "
We Pay the Tariffs
Jan 7
WATCH: coalition member on impact of tariffs on small businesses.
WATCH : Jess Nepstad, CEO of Planetary Design and We Pay the Tariffs coalition member, spoke with CNN's Jake Tapper about the impact of tariffs on his small business.
We Pay the Tariffs
Jan 5
READ: WPTT coalition member on tariff uncertainty.
Read : Oklahoma City manufacturer and We Pay the Tariffs coalition member Colt Westbrook explains how tariff uncertainty threatens small American manufacturers trying to keep jobs in the United States. “If tariffs rise to the levels currently being discussed, I estimate we could survive 12 to 18 months.” His op-ed in The Oklahoman lays out what unpredictable trade policy means for planning, hiring, and long-term survival for small manufacturers.
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 23, 2025
READ: WPTT coalition member on devastating impact of tariffs on US manufacturing.
Read: Julie Robbins, CEO of EarthQuaker Devices, spoke to The Guardian about the impacts tariffs are having on her ability to manufacture her product in the United States. EarthQuaker Devices manufactures made-from-scratch guitar pedals in Akron, Ohio, using more than 1,000 components imported from countries such as China and Vietnam. Robbins explains: "The tariffs are adding up to 30% to our costs. I would have at least a couple of new positions open now if it weren’t for
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 17, 2025
READ: WPTT coalition members on tariff impacts on holiday shopping.
Read: Jared Hendricks, CEO of Village Lighting, a holiday decorations company based in Utah, was featured in a Politico article about the impacts of tariffs on holiday shopping . Hendricks was quoted saying: "At this point, we’ve really switched from working for profits to working for tariffs. "
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 8, 2025
READ: Chicago-based WPTT coalition members speak out on tariff harms.
Read: Amanda Kezios and other Chicago-based We Pay the Tariffs coalition members were featured in the Chicago Sun Times , emphasizing the negative impact of tariffs on their businesses. Kezios states that in her company's 25 years, this is one of the most difficult times, aside from the Great Recession in 2008 and 2009. Mojo Spa at 1468 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park- Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 3, 2025
WATCH: WPTT coalition members speak to NBC about the impact of tariffs on their businesses.
WATCH : We Pay the Tariffs coalition members Jared and Dawnita Hendricks, owners of Village Lighting, spoke with NBC about how tariffs are threatening the survival of their business.
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 2, 2025
WATCH: Joann Cartiglia from The Queen's Treasures joins ABC News Live.
WATCH: We Pay the Tariffs coalition member, Joann Cartiglia, from The Queen's Treasures in Ticonderoga, New York, joins ABC News Live to explain how the cost of tariffs could impact your holiday shopping budget.
We Pay the Tariffs
Dec 1, 2025
NY Times Profiles We Pay the Tariffs Action to Rally Small Businesses on SCOTUS Tariffs Case
The New York Times today profiled the We Pay the Tariffs effort to amplify the voices of small businesses in opposition to the tariffs ahead of the momentous Supreme Court case on IEPPA tariffs. The story profiles We Pay the Tariffs coalition members as they describe lost revenue, rising prices, and slowed growth. We Pay the Tariffs, a coalition of over 700 small businesses, filed an amicus curiae brief that includes sworn testimonials from small business members in every
We Pay the Tariffs
Nov 4, 2025
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