Governor McKee Calls on Treasury Department to Refund $770 Million in Tariff Payments to Rhode Islanders

Published on Wednesday, March 11, 2026

PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee today sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calling for a $770 million refund of tariff payments to Rhode Islanders following the Supreme Court’s ruling that President Trump’s tariffs were unlawful. 

Estimates from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee suggest that tariff measures implemented during the Trump Administration raised costs for American consumers by about $1,745 per household between February 2025 and January 2026. In a similar finding, analysis by the Yale Budget Lab indicates that tariffs added roughly $1,751 in annual expenses for the typical U.S. household. With more than 440,000 households in Rhode Island, these estimates amount to more than $770 million in costs paid by Rhode Island families and businesses. 

“Tariffs function as a tax on consumers and businesses. For many Rhode Island families, $1,751 would make a meaningful difference by helping offset the cost of groceries, rent, and other essential household expenses. Now that the courts have determined these tariffs were unlawful, the money taken from families and businesses should be returned,” Governor McKee wrote.

Read the full letter here.