The Dispatch Podcast What Comes Next for Trump’s Tariff Agenda?
29 snips
Feb 24, 2026 
John McCormack, reporter who interviewed small businesses harmed by tariffs, and Scott Lincicome, trade law and economics expert, discuss the Supreme Court ruling on Trump-era tariffs. They cover why the legal basis was weak, how tariffs raised costs and disrupted suppliers, the messy refund fight, and what legal and political moves might follow ahead of the 2026 midterms.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Unbounded Emergency Power Created Business Uncertainty
- IEPA's lack of limits (any product, any amount, any duration) created acute uncertainty for importers and investors.
- That uncertainty, Scott says, reduces investment because businesses can't plan for sudden border taxes.
Hydraulics Firm Nearly Hit With 170% Tariff
- Turner Hydraulics ordered a $49,000 hydraulic accumulator and faced a 170% tariff, which would have added $84,000 in duties.
- The tariff later dropped to ~55% before arrival, but prompted the firm to find new suppliers in Denmark.
Border Duties Disadvantage Small Businesses
- Tariffs paid at the border disproportionately harm small businesses because they must pay duties before sales and lack capital or legal teams.
- Scott notes bonded warehouses and legal work are options big firms can use that small firms cannot.