Today, Explained A toymaker who got tariffed
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Feb 25, 2026 
Ben Harris, economist and former Treasury official now at Brookings, and Stephen Woldenberg, SVP at family-run Learning Resources, talk through a blockbuster Supreme Court fight over tariffs. They discuss the company’s $10M hit, legal strategy under emergency trade powers, how tariffs affected pricing and reshoring, and what the ruling means for future trade policy.
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Family Toy Maker That Sued The President
- Learning Resources is a family company founded by Stephen Woldenberg's grandmother in 1984 that now sells educational toys to mass-market retailers.
- Stephen described product range, overseas manufacturing in China, Vietnam, India, Taiwan, Korea, and a small U.S. production footprint, illustrating why tariffs hit them directly.
How The Company Took Tariffs To SCOTUS
- Learning Resources sued the Trump administration arguing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act did not authorize the tariffs and the case reached the Supreme Court.
- Stephen recounted refreshing SCOTUS blog and learning they won, calling the ruling a reinforcement of the rule of law.
Tariff Pain Measured In Millions
- Learning Resources paid in excess of $10 million in tariffs, including just over $2 million in 2024, with some rates reaching up to 145%.
- Stephen explained those spikes forced cuts to marketing, hiring slowdowns, and halted investments to cover the tariff tax bill.