After the Supreme Court of the United States overturned President Donald Trump’s tariffs, the Joint Economic Committee- Minority has released a new report estimating the financial impact on American families.
Families paid over $1,700 each
The updated report estimates that American families have paid more than $1,700 each in tariff costs since Trump took office. The committee used U.S. Treasury Department data on tariff revenue collected during the first year of Trump’s term. It also relied on independent estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to calculate what share of each tariff dollar is paid by consumers.
The report found that Americans paid more than $231 billion in total tariff costs between February 2025 and January 2026. On average, that equals more than $1,700 per family.
Senator calls tariffs ‘disaster’ after Supreme Court decision
US Senator Maggie Hassan, Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee has criticized the tariffs and welcomed the court’s ruling.
“President Trump’s tariffs have been a disaster for American families, driving costs up at the worst possible time,” Hassan said. “While the Supreme Court has thankfully and correctly ruled that much of Trump’s tariff agenda was an illegal exercise of presidential power, today’s ruling cannot undo the damage that tariffs have already caused.”
Supreme Court ruling
The Supreme Court of the United States on Friday struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, ruling 6-3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not give the president the power to impose tariffs.
The ruling written by Chief Justice John Roberts said the Trump administration’s interpretation of IEEPA would override Congress’s authority and break the “major questions” doctrine, which requires major actions to be clearly approved by Congress.
Roberts wrote that “the president must ‘point to clear congressional authorization’ to justify his extraordinary assertion of the power to impose tariffs,” adding, “He cannot.”
The court said the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to impose taxes and tariffs, and that Trump exceeded his authority.
