The 5 small businesses that sued to block Trumps tariffs

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VOS Selections
The New York-based wine company said that Trump’s tariffs: “threaten to unravel everything VOS has spent a generation building.”

The company, which has been running for almost 40 years, said that its expertise in wine and spirits is something that “cannot be replicated,” in the U.S., pushing back against Trump’s often repeated statement that if products are made in the U.S., they won’t be subjected to tariffs.

The company highlighted four main issues that have arisen as a result of Trump's tariffs threats.

VOS said that buyers have been holding off on orders due to uncertainty, amid Trump’s back-and-forth decision making regarding levies and deadlines. The small business also flagged how its cash flow is under “immediate strain,” even if costs are eventually passed onto customers.


Additionally, VOS said it cannot gamble on unknown prices months in advance and that the knock on-effects, such as reduced purchasing capacity and smaller cash flow, from partners have also hit the business hard.

FishUSA
Based near Lake Erie in Pennsylvania, wholesale and retailer of fishing tackle and apparel FishUSA said that it is “reeling from the tariffs.”

In a statement issued prior to the court ruling, the company said: “We’re a Pennsylvania business employing dozens of hardworking Americans, trying to compete in a global market. These tariffs make it nearly impossible to plan, price, or grow.”

The retailer added that it has been particularly impacted by tariffs imposed on Asian countries, from which it imports many of its manufactured fishing goods. Suppliers have already preemptively raised prices in anticipation, and FishUSA says that switching to U.S.-based production could take years to fully enact.

MicroKits
David Levi runs the business out of a workshop in Charlottesville, Virginia. The company designs small electronic kits aimed at teaching children how to build simple devices and gadgets. Its most popular product instructs children how to assemble a musical instrument from scratch.

In a statement published by the Liberty Justice Center, Levi likened Trump’s tariffs to a “death sentence.”

Much like other businesses, Levi has found the uncertainty and back-and-forth nature of Trump’s tariffs to be a major stumbling block when it comes to completing orders.

“I could place an order for parts today, and by the time it arrives, the tariff might have doubled,” Levi said. “I can’t plan. I can’t budget. I can’t grow.”

Terry Precision Cycling
A small business, Terry Precision Cycling focuses solely on women’s cycling, the first company to do so, according to its founder, Nik Holm. But Trump’s tariffs were described by Holm as the “single greatest threat,” that his company has faced in its 40 years of operations.

In a statement, Holm said: “They’re indiscriminate, unmanageable, and totally disconnected from economic reality.”

Holm said his company joining the lawsuit not just about the economic impact, but “about defending the right to build and run a business without getting crushed by unpredictable government overreach.”

Genova Pipe
At its Washington State factory, Genova Pipe manufactures ABS pipe, importing crucial resin materials from South Korea and Taiwan. Most of the company’s product is then exported to Canada.

Genova Pipe has an additional six factories across the U.S. After joining the lawsuit,Andrew Reese, the president of the company, said in a statement: “The newly-imposed tariffs are increasing our raw material costs and hindering our ability to compete in the export market.”

Reese said that over 75% of the company’s resin material imports are sourced from Asia, and that replacing these suppliers with U.S.-based manufacturers was not a feasible option. With most of his customers in Canada, Reese has major concerns that buyers will opt for local, cheaper manufacturers if tariffs force Genova Pipe to inevitably raise its prices.

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