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Toy Entrepreneur Takes Trump’s Tariffs to the Supreme Court

By  |  November 3, 2025

Rick Woldenberg, the head of two Illinois-based educational toy companies, has taken his battle against former President Donald Trump’s tariff policies to the U.S. Supreme Court — a case that could reshape presidential authority over trade and cost the federal government billions in refunds.

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    According to Bloomberg, Woldenberg’s frustration began with a toy designed to help children manage their emotions — the BubblePlush Yoga Ball Buddies. The fuzzy exercise ball, which comes in characters like a unicorn, penguin, and puppy, became a casualty of shifting global trade policies. Originally set for production in China, the toy’s supply chain was repeatedly disrupted as Trump’s administration imposed — and later adjusted — sweeping tariffs.

    When tariffs on Chinese imports jumped to 145% in April, Woldenberg’s companies, Learning Resources Inc. and hand2mind Inc., moved production to India. But after the administration reduced the Chinese duties and raised India’s to 50%, the company found itself caught in another costly bind. “We paid a $50,000 penalty for that,” Woldenberg said, describing how a shipment arrived just six hours too late to avoid the new rate. “We’re sort of like itinerant refugees in how we make our products.”

    Per Bloomberg, Woldenberg’s companies filed suit earlier this year, arguing that Trump exceeded his executive authority when imposing the tariffs. The Supreme Court is now weighing the case — one of the most consequential trade disputes in decades. If the justices side against Trump, the decision could dismantle much of the tariff framework enacted during his presidency and open the door to more than $100 billion in refunds for affected importers.

    The outcome could also redefine the limits of presidential power. Bloomberg reports that while the conservative-majority Supreme Court has often backed Trump on procedural grounds, a broad ruling in his favor here could affirm expansive unilateral authority for future presidents to impose tariffs under the guise of economic emergencies.

    Trump himself underscored the case’s significance, declaring on social media that “THE MOST IMPORTANT CASE EVER IS IN THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT.”

    The lawsuit has drawn support from other small businesses and several Democratic-led states challenging the tariffs. The We Pay the Tariffs coalition, composed of hundreds of smaller companies, has also joined the opposition. However, large corporations like Walmart Inc. and General Motors Co. have largely stayed silent, even as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce opposes the measures.

    According to Bloomberg, Woldenberg’s own costs have surged dramatically — his companies are facing a tariff bill estimated between $20 million and $30 million this year, up from $2.3 million last year. Prices for his products have already risen modestly to offset some of those expenses.

    Despite the mounting financial and legal burden, Woldenberg says he remains determined to pursue the case independently, declining outside political or foreign assistance. “I am not a front for anyone else,” he said.

    Source: Bloomberg