Former Trump Advisor Warns $175 Billion in Tariffs Could Be Refunded After Supreme Court Limits Power

Stephen Moore, a former economic adviser to President Donald Trump, stated on Friday that the Supreme Court’s decision to curb the president’s tariff authority will have mixed effects on consumers.

Moore, co-founder of Unleash Prosperity, has long opposed tariffs.

“I do think that the court has appropriately put restrictions on the president’s ability to unilaterally raise taxes and tariffs on American people,” Moore said in an interview.

He added that the court’s 6-3 ruling “made it pretty clear that taxes have to start constitutionally in the House of Representatives.”

Moore explained that while he opposes tariffs and supports free trade, Trump used threats of tariffs to secure good trade deals with Canada, China, and Mexico.

“The economic impact is still yet to be determined,” Moore said. “One outstanding question is whether the tariffs that were collected, $175 billion, will have to be returned to people.”

Moore noted that the court was “kind of mum on that.”

He further stated that Trump could justify using the National Emergencies Act to continue imposing tariffs on China.

“It’s a national security issue when it comes to China. China is our biggest enemy,” Moore said.

“They’re like Germany circa 1939,” he added. “They’re a dangerous country.”

“Trump can make the case — and should try to make the case — that China is in a special basket, and that we need to invoke tariffs so that they play by the rules and don’t discriminate against American products,” Moore said.