Former Vice President Mike Pence expressed support for Costco after the retail giant sued the Trump administration to refund tariffs on its imported goods.
“American companies and American consumers pay the cost of U.S. tariffs,” Pence wrote in a post Monday on X. “Free trade with free countries.”
Costco, the third largest retailer in the United States, filed a lawsuit with the Court of International Trade last week.
In the filing, the company challenged President Donald Trump’s authority to set tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Costco is seeking a “full refund” of the tariffs imposed, saying Trump overstepped his authority and imposed sweeping tariffs on more than 100 countries.
According to the Treasury Department, the government imposed $195 billion in tariffs in fiscal 2025, a 50% increase over the tariffs imposed in fiscal 2024.
According to NBC News, Costco said in the lawsuit: “Because IEEPA does not expressly authorize the President to set tariffs…the challenged tariff order cannot be established, and defendants do not have the authority to implement and impose tariffs.”
“The economic consequences of failing to uphold President Trump’s lawful tariffs are enormous, and this lawsuit highlights that fact,” White House spokesman Khush Desai said in a statement on the Costco lawsuit.
Pence has been an outspoken opponent of Trump’s tariffs, highlighting growing tensions between the two former presidential running mates.
As the Supreme Court examines the legality of Trump’s tariffs, Pence claims the president has overstepped his authority.
Pence said at the Jefferson Education Association Summit on November 5: “I do not believe that the U.S. Constitution gives the President of the United States the power to unilaterally impose tariffs on friends and enemies, and I hope that the U.S. Supreme Court will reverse this situation. Because in the end, American businesses and American consumers have to pay U.S. tariffs.”
Recent polls show Americans are increasingly frustrated with the impact of Trump’s tariffs.
A CBS News/YouGov poll in November found that 58% of Americans believe prices have been rising over the past few weeks, with 65% blaming Trump’s policies for rising grocery costs. Only 32% of respondents said the U.S. economy is in good shape.
Pence pointed to Americans’ concerns about tariffs and rising prices as key factors in Democrats’ resounding victory on Election Day.
In New Jersey, Virginia and New York City – where Democrats made big gains in statewide races – a majority of voters said the cost of living and the economy were their main concerns, according to NBC News exit polls.
In 2024, Trump lost New Jersey and Virginia by 5.9 percentage points and 5.7 percentage points, respectively. In last month’s election, New Jersey governor-elect Mikie Sherrill won by 14.4 points, while Virginia governor-elect Abigail Spanberger won by 15.4 points.
“When you see these results in traditionally Republican areas like New Jersey and Virginia, you see that the American people are upset about the prices at the grocery store,” Pence said. “They are worried about the consequences of new tariff economic industrial policies and the onset of inflation.”
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