Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is demanding President Donald Trump hand over $8.6 billion to Illinois families after the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s global tariffs under a national emergency law.
Pritzker sent a letter to the president and posted it on X, accusing Trump’s trade policies of driving up costs and damaging farmers across the state.
“Your tariffs wreaked havoc on farmers, enraged our allies, and sent grocery prices through the roof,” Pritzker wrote.
“This morning, your hand-picked Supreme Court Justices notified you that they are also unconstitutional.”
Cut the check, @realDonaldTrump. pic.twitter.com/NjVJ0tABme
— JB Pritzker (@JBPritzker) February 20, 2026
The Democratic governor said each Illinois family is owed $1,700. He calculated the total using 5,105,448 households in the state, arriving at $8,679,261,600.
“On behalf of the people of Illinois, I demand a refund of $1,700 for every family in Illinois. There are 5,105,448 households in my state, bringing the total damages you owe to $8,679,261,600,” Pritzker added.
He warned that his letter and attached invoice serve as formal notice and vowed to “pursue further action” if Trump does not comply.
The demand followed a 6-3 Supreme Court ruling that Trump exceeded his authority under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The law allows a president to regulate international commerce during a declared national emergency.
The court struck down most of Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs on dozens of countries. It also voided tariffs targeting China, Mexico and Canada that were justified under a national emergency tied to drug trafficking and illegal immigration.
At a White House briefing after the ruling, Trump questioned what would happen to the revenue already collected.
“Since Liberation Day, there’s about $175 billion in tariff revenue that is now in limbo. Do you have to refund $175 billion?” Fox News’s Peter Doocy asked.
TRUMP ON TARIFF REVENUE: Asked about $175B in tariffs now in limbo after SCOTUS ruling, President Trump says the Court didn’t address refunds
Calls the decision ‘defective’ and expects the issue to be litigated for years, potentially keeping hundreds of billions collected in… pic.twitter.com/T3V4HpQEXz
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) February 20, 2026
“Very fair question. They take months and months to write an opinion, and they don’t even discuss that point. We’ve taken in hundreds of billions of dollars, not millions, hundreds of billions of dollars,” Trump replied.
“Wouldn’t you think they would have put one sentence in there saying that ‘Keep the money or don’t keep the money,’ right? I guess it has to get litigated for the next two years,” he added.
When pressed again, Trump predicted prolonged court battles. “We’ll end up being in court for the next five years,” he said.
The president also took aim at members of the high court. “The Supreme Court’s ruling on tariffs is deeply disappointing, and I’m ashamed of certain members of the court, absolutely ashamed for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country,” Trump said.
He argued that some justices were swayed by political pressures. “You can’t knock their loyalty,” he said of liberal judges. He added that “some of our people” lacked the same resolve.
🚨 VENEZUELAN DICTATOR NICOLAS MADURO IN U.S. CUSTODY 🚨 Do you AGREE Trump made America STRONG again??? ➡️➡️➡️ TAKE THE FREEDOM POLL NOW and stand with President Trump!!!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
“Others think they’re being politically correct, which has happened before, far too often with certain members of this court… when in fact, they’re just being fools and lap dogs for the RINOs and the radical left Democrats,” Trump said.
“They’re very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution. It’s my opinion that the court has been swayed by foreign interests and a political movement that is far smaller than people would ever think. It’s a small movement,” he added.
Trump singled out Justice Brett Kavanaugh for praise after the justice dissented.
.@POTUS: "The Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs is deeply disappointing, and I'm ashamed of certain members of the court—absolutely ashamed—for not having the courage to do what's right for our country… Democrats on the court are thrilled, but they will automatically vote no…… pic.twitter.com/aqDvYRK3Mq
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 20, 2026
Kavanaugh wrote that he “firmly” disagreed with the majority and outlined alternative statutory paths for imposing tariffs, including Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, Sections 122, 201 and 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, and Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
Trump said Kavanaugh’s “stock has gone so up” and that he is “so proud of him.”
“I would like to thank Justice Kavanaugh for… frankly, his genius, and his great ability,” the president added.
Trump quickly moved to pivot to other tariff authorities. He announced that all national security tariffs under Section 232 and existing Section 301 tariffs remain in force.
“Effective immediately, all national security tariffs under Section 232, and existing Section 301, tariffs… remain in place, fully in place, and in full force and effect,” Trump said.
.@POTUS: "Effective immediately, all national security tariffs under Section 232 and existing Section 301 tariffs remain in place… Today, I will sign an order to impose a 10% global tariff under Section 122 over and above our normal tariffs already being charged." pic.twitter.com/LLMeyj92SE
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 20, 2026
He also revealed a new action. “Today, I will sign an order to impose a 10 percent global tariff under Section 122, over and above our normal tariffs already being charged, and we’re also initiating several Section 301 and other investigations to protect our country from unfair trading practices of other countries and companies,” Trump said.
Section 122 allows the president to address large balance-of-payments deficits through import surcharges of up to 15 percent.
“The Supreme Court did not overrule tariffs. They merely overruled a particular use of IEEPA tariffs,” Trump stressed.
“It’s okay, because we have other ways, numerous other ways,” he added. “The ability to block, embargo, restrict license, or impose any other condition on a foreign country’s ability to conduct trade with the United States under IEEPA has been fully confirmed by this decision.”
Vice President JD Vance blasted the ruling as judicial overreach. “Today, the Supreme Court decided that Congress, despite giving the president the ability to ‘regulate imports’, didn’t actually mean it,” Vance wrote on X. “This is lawlessness from the Court, plain and simple.”
Today, the Supreme Court decided that Congress, despite giving the president the ability to "regulate imports", didn't actually mean it. This is lawlessness from the Court, plain and simple. And its only effect will be to make it harder for the president to protect American…
— JD Vance (@JDVance) February 20, 2026
He argued the ruling would only make it harder to protect domestic industries and supply chains.
Vance added that Trump “has a wide range of other tariff powers and he will use them to defend American workers and advance this administration’s trade priorities.”
Former Vice President Mike Pence welcomed the decision. “Today’s 6-3 ruling by the Supreme Court is a Victory for the American People and a Win for the Separation of Powers enshrined in the Constitution of the United States,” Pence wrote.
“In Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, our Supreme Court has reaffirmed that the Constitution grants Congress – not the President – the power to tax,” he added.
Pence argued that American families shoulder the cost of tariffs. “American families and American businesses pay American tariffs – not foreign countries. With this decision, American families and businesses can breathe a sigh of relief,” he wrote.
He also credited his organization, Advancing American Freedom, for filing amicus briefs in the case.
“With this historic decision, America can now return to the pursuit of Free Trade with Free Nations under the Constitution of the United States,” Pence added.
