WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, an Illinois-based toy company brought a challenge against President Donald Trump’s tariffs to the Supreme Court, seeking a swift decision on their legality. Learning Resources Inc. has appealed to the highest court in the land to expedite the case, bypassing the slower process in the lower courts. The company contends that the tariffs were wrongly enacted under an emergency powers law without Congress’s consent.
Initially, Learning Resources celebrated a victory in a lower court that ruled in their favor. However, as the appeals court reviews a similar case that could block Trump’s tariffs more broadly, the initial court order has been put on hold. During this interim, the appeals court has permitted Trump to continue the tariffs under the emergency powers law, with legal debates expected to commence later in July.
In their legal submissions, the company stressed the urgent necessity of resolving this matter due to the tariffs’ significant impact on businesses and consumers nationwide. They highlighted the unpredictability and economic strain caused by the “uncontrolled tariffing power” claimed by the President.
Traditionally, the Supreme Court hesitates to intervene in cases that are still pending in appeals courts, diminishing the likelihood that it will heed Learning Resources’ request for immediate consideration. Nonetheless, the company’s CEO, Rick Woldenberg, asserted that the ongoing tariffs and resultant uncertainty are severely affecting their business operations. With back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons on the horizon, these periods represent critical sales opportunities for the company.
“People are raising their prices out of necessity and concern,” Woldenberg stated, underscoring the lack of options available to them. “We are left without a choice.” Lawyers representing Learning Resources and its affiliate, hand2mind, suggested the Supreme Court could potentially decide whether to take up the case by the end of their term in June, and to hear arguments during the fall’s new term — a relatively expedited schedule.
The Trump administration, however, defends the tariffs, asserting that the emergency powers law grants the President authority to regulate imports during national emergencies, like the country’s chronic trade deficit, which they argue qualifies as such an emergency. Trump has portrayed these tariffs as a method to incentivize the return of manufacturing to the United States, bolster the Treasury Department’s finances, and negotiate more advantageous trade partnerships with other nations.
“The Trump administration is lawfully exercising the powers granted by the Constitution and Congress to the executive branch to manage national emergencies, such as trade imbalances and drug trafficking,” commented White House spokesperson Kush Desai, expressing confidence that the administration would succeed if the case reaches the Supreme Court.
Woldenberg mentioned that he’s investing significant resources into diversifying the company’s supply base, but noted that this is proving to be a lengthy and uncertain endeavor. “Our case involves critical questions that this administration will not address unless compelled by a Supreme Court decision,” he added.
Headquartered in Vernon Hills, Illinois, this family-run business offers products like the Pretend & Play Calculator Cash Register and Botley the Coding Robot. The outcome of this high-stakes legal battle could have ramifications for both the broader business community and consumers across the nation.