Wisconsin business groups split on impact of Supreme Court tariff ruling

Wisconsin business groups are divided on today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down some of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, offering split views on the impact.

After the court’s decision was handed down this morning, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce President and CEO Kurt Bauer said the development “adds to an already confusing tariff landscape.” He noted uncertainty is among the top threats to business success. 

“Businesses will be left to wonder how this decision will impact their customers and vendors,” he said in a statement. “Sadly, there are more questions than answers at this point.” 

Meanwhile, the head of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce is hailing the court’s decision. Dale Kooyenga, the group’s president and a former Republican state lawmaker, noted the Supreme Court has limited the president’s ability to use emergency powers for “sweeping, across-the-board” tariffs. 

While he said “narrowly tailored” tariffs can be appropriate in some cases, Kooyenga argued taking a one-size-fits-all approach leads to higher costs across the economy. 

“Broad and unpredictable tariffs function as a tax on American businesses and consumers, creating uncertainty that makes it difficult for companies to plan, hire and grow … Today’s ruling reinforces the importance of predictability in economic policy,” he said. “Businesses need stable policy decision-making to remain competitive and sustain jobs in the region.” 

But Poonam Arora, president of the board for the Madison International Trade Association, noted the court hasn’t outlined whether or how refunds for the tariffs that have already been collected will be handled. She is director of global trade compliance and government contracts for Arnold Magnetics. 

Arora also referenced Trump’s move today to impose a 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, though this would expire after 150 days without action from Congress, according to an overview from the Council on Foreign Relations. 

“So, this is a lot of chaos and confusion at the moment,” Arora said in an email. 

Trump today slammed the justices behind the court’s decision, calling them a “disgrace to our nation.” He noted his administration has alternative avenues for replacing the tariffs the court has rejected. 

“Foreign countries that have been ripping us off for years are ecstatic, they’re so happy, and they’re dancing in the streets but they won’t be dancing for long, that I can assure you,” Trump said during a press conference. 

He added: “Could be more money, we’ll take in more money. And we’ll be a lot stronger for it. We’re taking in hundreds of billions of dollars. We’ll continue to do so.” 

Today’s decision comes after the United States brought in $289 billion from gross tariffs and certain other excise taxes in 2025, according to a report from the Bipartisan Policy Center. That’s well above any other recent year, as the highest annual total going back to 2017 was about $116 billion, the report shows. 

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin today also weighed in on the tariff development, arguing the president’s “reckless” trade war has led to higher costs for families and industry as well as disruption to agricultural markets. 

“The on-again-off-again trade war has simply been chaos for Wisconsin families and businesses,” the Madison Dem said in a statement. “Today, we saw the Supreme Court rein in this lawless president and slap down his out-of-control tariffs, but the increased costs and uncertainty that Wisconsinites are still navigating is irreversible and will have long lasting impacts.” 

Dem guv candidates target Tiffany in tariff decision reactions 

Dem gubernatorial candidates took potshots at U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany after the Supreme Court decision.

One typical cut came from Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez.

Rodriguez and her campaign criticized Tiffany on social media and in press releases this morning, saying on X that Tiffany “chose Trump over Wisconsin” by voting to back his tariffs. 

“The Trump-Tiffany tariffs raised prices for Wisconsinites. They cost workers their jobs. And they created chaos that made it impossible for manufacturers to plan or compete,” read a Rodriguez campaign press release.

Tiffany, R-Minocqua, gave this retort:

“Our workers deserve a level playing field so we export Wisconsin goods, not Wisconsin jobs,” Tiffany posted on X in defense of tariffs on China and Canada, which the Trump administration targeted with high levels. “Maybe (Rodriguez) plans to gift Wisconsin farmland to Xi Jinping next?”

Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes also weighed in during a Madison press conference this afternoon.

He called the court’s decision a “win” but said the “damage has been done” for farmers, small business owners, and families.

“Donald Trump created this mess. Tom Tiffany defended every single bit of it. They completely own the pain that is caused,” Barnes said.

Other Dem responses:

*Milwaukee County Exec David Crowley, on X: “Now that the Supreme Court has struck down Trump’s tariffs, the damage is already done: a widening trade deficit and 83,000 factory jobs lost. That’s not a manufacturing renaissance. Wisconsin should be asking why tariff cheerleader Tom Tiffany backed policies the Supreme Court found illegal.”

*State Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, on X: “The Supreme Court just confirmed Trump’s tariffs were unconstitutional, something Wisconsin farmers have known all along as they lost billions. The damage was done. And politicians like rubber-stamp Tom Tiffany who cheered it on will have to answer for it come November.”

*Former WEDC CEO Missy Hughes, on X: “Trump’s tariffs decimated our farming communities and cost Wisconsin families thousands of dollars. Farmers had to plow under their crops and parents are struggling to pay for groceries for their kids. All while @TomTiffanyWI refused to do his job + hold this admin accountable.”