Costco Drafts a Biden-Era Staffer for Its Tariff Showdown With Trump as 19 Companies Join the Mutiny

“It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ‘em.”

Just when I thought the Costco vs Trump tariff battle couldn’t get any more dramatic… Costco CEO Ron Vachris essentially said: “hold my beer.”

Because right after suing the White House for those emergency-powers tariffs last week… they immediately followed it up by adding Gina Raimondo (yes, Biden’s former Commerce Secretary) to their board of directors.

Chairman Tony James announced her arrival with the kind of energy usually reserved for launching free sample day: “Her vast experience in global business, politics and international security will add an important dimension.” Translation: “She knows where all the tariff bodies are buried, and we have follow-up questions.”

(Source: CNBC)

Here’s how we got here: Trump tossed sweeping tariffs onto basically anything with a barcode, citing emergency powers.

Lower courts responded with, “Uhh… bro, you can’t just do that.” 

Then the Supreme Court got involved because of course they did. 

Costco kept cutting checks for these disputed tariffs anyway (millions of dollars’ worth) because not even warehouse retail royalty can dodge government IOUs. 

So they sued, demanding their money back now instead of “eventually maybe if SCOTUS feels cute.” 

Then Costco said, “While we’re at it, let’s call Raimondo. She probably has the USB drive labeled “Tariff Stuff.” And boom… she’s on the board.

Meanwhile at Costco HQ, picture a giant conference table with a huge pile of $1.50 hotdogs in the middle and executives leaning forward asking the real questions: “So Gina… hypothetically… how does one get a refund from a man whose entire presidential platform is literally tariffs?” 

Her resume includes running Commerce, managing Rhode Island’s money, doing venture capital, and knowing exactly how annoying international trade disputes are. She’s essentially the reliable, all-in-one strategist Costco wants ready before the next tariff challenge rolls in.

(Source: CNN)

And Costco isn’t alone in filing complaints with the manager. The Court of International Trade took one look at Costco’s lawsuit, then at the 19 other companies suing for the same reason, and said, “Group project time!” Needless to say, this tariff dispute has officially become a very crowded room.

What’s really at stake is whether Costco ever gets its money back. If they don’t get the refund now, they’re worried that even if Trump loses the case later, there still might be no mechanism to return the money. 

Which is hilariously ironic because Costco’s entire business model is built on refunding you for absolutely anything. Didn’t like the socks? Refund. Didn’t like the TV after watching it for three months? Refund. Don’t like Donnie's tariff structure? Working on it.

Even if they don’t get their way, Costco can take some comfort in knowing they probably made Trump absolutely furious by handing a board seat to a former Biden administration official. Which in their book, has to count for something.

At the time of publishing this article, Stocks.News doesn’t hold positions in companies mentioned in the article.