The governors of the three largest Democratic states — New York, California, and Illinois — have officially appealed to the administration of US President Donald Trump, demanding compensation for losses incurred due to federal tariffs that have been in effect for nearly a year.
This is reported by Finway
Governors Demand Billions in Reimbursements
New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated the need for the state to receive $13.5 billion, which she claims was lost due to tariffs imposed in 2025. She emphasized that these tariffs have become an additional tax burden for consumers, small businesses, and farmers in the state.
“These senseless and illegal tariffs were nothing but a tax on consumers, small businesses, and farmers in New York, and that is why I demand full reimbursement,” Hochul stated.
California Governor Gavin Newsom highlighted that each family in his state has, on average, lost $1,751 due to a year of tariffs, with total losses in California exceeding $130 billion. According to Newsom, such measures have led to significant price increases and negatively affected the well-being of working families.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is also calling on the federal government to pay each family in the state a compensation of $1,700 for the imposed tariffs. He noted that the total losses for Illinois citizens have amounted to over $8.6 billion.
White House Response and Political Context
In response, White House representatives dismissed the governors’ demands, claiming that Donald Trump has addressed issues that have been a focus of these states for decades. In the political environment, it is emphasized that Hochul, Newsom, and Pritzker are currently viewed as some of the main potential candidates for the upcoming 2028 presidential election from the Democratic Party of the United States.