Graham Statement on Supreme Court Tariff Decision

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement after the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump.

"While I accept the Court's ruling, I believe that President Trump does have many options regarding keeping existing tariffs in place under authorities beyond the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). I support President Trump's decision to fight refunds. I did not think they are necessary or appropriate, and I'm sure that they will be subject to much litigation.

"As to the power of tariffs on the national security front, it is undeniable what President Trump has been able to do by using and threatening tariffs. One of the chief reasons that our border is so secure is President Trump threatened to put tariffs on countries that were allowing illegal immigrants to pour in through our southern border and held them accountable for the problem. When it comes to finding fentanyl and other dangerous products coming into the country, President Trump has used tariffs extremely effectively.

"However, the most obvious example of how tariffs can affect national security involves the case where President Trump put a 25 percent tariff on India for purchasing cheap Russian oil to fuel Putin's war machine. Before the war, India was buying approximately 3 percent of their oil from Russia. After the war began and it became so cheap, India's total purchases of Russian oil went up to almost 30 percent. When President Trump decided to impose a 25 percent tariff on products coming into the United States from India because they chose to buy cheap Russian oil that propped up Putin's war machine, India -- to its credit -- dramatically reduced the amount of oil it has purchased from Putin.

"The Russian economy is definitely under siege, and it is my hope that Congress will move forward with the Russian sanctions bill that I've been working on with Senator Blumenthal for over a year now that would allow sanctions and tariffs to be imposed by the president against countries who buy cheap Russian oil, propping up Putin's war machine. This legislation has a three-year sunset and is tied to the Russian-Ukraine conflict in terms of tariff power. The economic tools given to the president in this legislation to push Putin to the table, I believe are indispensable.

"It is imperative we take up the Russian sanctions bill quickly as President Zelensky and others in the region have said it would be a great momentum builder to try to end the bloodbath."

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