Illinois governor JB Pritzker just sent an 'invoice' to Trump for $8.68 billion
The President's tariffs were recently adjudged illegal by the US Supreme Court.
Feb. 23 2026, Published 4:32 a.m. ET
One of the most significant decisions US President Donald Trump made at the beginning of his second term was to introduce sweeping tariffs that disrupted global trade. Trump was able to bypass Congress and sign off on the tariffs by invoking the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Recently, the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is demanding more than $8 billion from the administration for the people of his state.
In a 6–3 decision, Supreme Court justices delivered the verdict that the IEEPA does not allow the President to impose tariffs on other countries. These tariffs made life hard for a lot of American businesses and households. They had to bear the cost of these measures, and Pritzker believes that it is up to the President to reimburse these households for the loss they’ve borne. The amount suggested is roughly $1,700 per Illinois household, making it a total of $8,679,261,600.
A Binance Square report reveals that Pritzker wrote a letter to Trump stating the amount the administration owed to the people of the state and the reason behind it. "Your tariff taxes wreaked havoc on farmers, enraged our allies, and sent grocery prices through the roof. This morning, your hand-picked Supreme Court Justices notified you that they are also unconstitutional,” the letter read.
"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,” it added. Pritzker did not mince his words as he claimed that non-compliance with his request would force him to take further action against Trump and his administration. This is an issue the President will not want to worry about at the moment.
"This letter and the attached invoice stand as an official notice that compensation is owed to the people of Illinois, and if you do not comply, we will pursue further action,” the letter added. “Illinois families paid the price for illegal tariffs – at the grocery store, at the hardware store, and around the kitchen table. Tariffs are taxes, and working families were the ones who paid them."
It doesn't come as much of a surprise that Pritzker has resorted to such measures after the Supreme Court ruling. Illinois is a major agricultural exporter, and Trump’s tariffs truly stunted several businesses. The report also states that Illinois trades over $127 billion annually with Canada, Mexico, and China. Tariffs imposed on those countries affected key imports like oil, beer, and electronics used by businesses and consumers in the state.
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