It’s not clear how that would work or if Trump could afford to do so without worsening the national debt, which he claims his tariffs will also cut.

Trump justified his sweeping tariffs by calling the U.S. trade deficit a “national emergency.” Costco’s suit alleges his signature economic policy is unlawful.

For many small to medium-sized enterprises, they’ve already eaten the costs of tariffs, so that money is out the door. But many find that this is an effective way to get back some of those crucial funds they’ve already budgeted for tariffs.