May 19, 2025

The small-business owner suing Trump over tariffs

The small-business owner suing Trump over tariffs
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The small-business owner suing Trump over tariffs

The U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day pause in the escalating trade war – but small-business owner Emily Ley says that doesn’t make it any easier for her to plan. She’s suing Trump over his tariffs in an effort to save her business.

Before she decided to sue the Trump administration, Emily Ley’s image wasn’t political. She makes high-end planners and has a new cookbook with easy recipes for busy parents. But she manufactures her planners in China and says Trump’s tariffs make her business model untenable.

“One minute I was talking about how to make an easy pot roast, and the next minute we’re talking about an international trade war,” Ley said.

Today on the show White House reporter Cat Zakrzewski explains the case Ley is making .

Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff, who also contributed reporting. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sean Carter. Thank you to Mike Semel and Annah Aschbrenner.

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