What Trump's Tariffs Are Costing Virginia Households

Virginia families are paying significantly more for everyday goods as a direct result of illegal tariffs, according to a new analysis — and the bill is only expected to grow.

A February study from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation found that Trump administration tariffs added an average of $1,000 in costs to American households in 2025. If the tariffs hold through this year, that figure is projected to climb to around $1,300 in 2026. The Tax Foundation characterized the tariffs as the largest U.S. tax increase as a share of GDP since 1993.

Around the same time as these findings, the Supreme Court ruled Trump's tariffs violated economic policy, making them illegal. Virginia residents and business owners have spoken at large about how the strain from these illegal tariffs have harmed them and their families.

Sabrina Mattin, who runs Wool + Loom, a handmade rug shop in Fairfax County, said the impact on her small business has been anything but abstract. She explained that rising import costs on handwoven rugs — many sourced from artisan women abroad who depend on steady orders — have compressed her margins and forced painful choices about pricing and inventory. "Our customers want to support ethical supply chains," she noted, "but with higher everyday costs and economic uncertainty, affordability matters."

For Virginia Beach resident Bernita Richardson, the financial squeeze is deeply personal. As the primary caretaker for a son with special needs and two aging parents, all living on a fixed income, Richardson said there is no room in the family budget to absorb rising prices. She directed her frustration at Rep. Jen Kiggans, the Republican congresswoman who represents her district, for voting in favor of a House rule that blocked congressional votes on repealing the tariffs. Kiggans' office did not respond to a request for comment.

In fact, every Virginia Republican in the House voted for that procedural block. It was a rule first passed in April 2025, renewed in September, and nearly extended again in February — though it narrowly failed, 214–217, when three Republicans joined Democrats in opposition.

The White House has pushed back on criticism of the tariff policy. A spokesperson argued that the tariff increases have coincided with cooler inflation, higher real wages, and accelerating GDP growth, and that opponents are overreacting.

Still, Virginia voters appear skeptical. A Virginia Commonwealth University Commonwealth Poll conducted last summer found that roughly six in ten Virginia voters believed the tariffs would weaken the U.S. economy in the near term, compared to just three in ten who expected them to be a positive force.

With the procedural block now expired, House Democrats are expected to push for votes to repeal the tariffs. However, even if such legislation cleared both chambers — far from certain — President Trump would likely veto it, and Democrats fall well short of the two-thirds majority needed to override.

In the mean time, Virginia has joined a coalition of states demanding the federal government refund citizens for the money collected from these illegal tariffs.

For now, Virginians across the state are left navigating a higher-cost environment with no clear relief in sight.