Tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump have been ruled an overreach of power. As the fallout spurs further economic uncertainty, more than $160 billion in tariffs is due in refunds to businesses and taxpayers.
Head of Montana World Trade Center Brigitta Miranda-Freer says despite the court rulings on tariffs, the effects remain.
"It's kind of the same net effect for businesses, right? It's constant change in trying to field whatever the latest policy tool is. It's just constant change," Mirand-Freer says.
Montana’s global exports fell 13% between 2024 and 2025, the first decline in 5 years. At a recent Montana World Trade Center conference, industry experts and stakeholders re-emphasized foreign “sub-national” relationships as vital to withstanding tariff turbulence.
Representatives from dominant state industries like critical minerals, manufacturing and agriculture iterated that cross-border investments can still happen. A Canadian Consul even spoke affirming Canada’s interest in maintaining relationships with Montana business.
Gov. Greg Gianforte says the state has a place in the global market. He noted that 35 percent of his software company’s revenue came from outside the U.S last year.
"These are good trading partners for us, whether it's energy or technology or agricultural products, Montana's part of a global economy and we need to be expanding those relationships," Gianforte says.
U.S. Tariff policy has changed more than 50 times since Trump took office in 2025.
