How One Wine Importer Exposed the Folly of Trump’s Tariffs and Won

Victor O. Schwartz, a 67-year-old wine importer from Manhattan’s Upper West Side, never imagined he’d become a key player in a legal battle against the Trump administration’s disastrous tariffs. But when Trump slapped a 20 to 30 percent tax on imported wines and related goods in 2018, Schwartz saw firsthand how these policies strangled his business and countless others.

For nearly 40 years, Schwartz has run VOS Selections, importing fine wines from 16 countries. The tariffs made an already tough business even harder, hitting not just the bottles but corks from Portugal and Spain, barrels from France, and even sake and soju from Asia. Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” for tariffs was, for Schwartz, “strangulation day.” The tariffs were less about protecting American workers and more about a reckless trade war that raised prices for consumers and punished small businesses.

Unlike many who grumbled but stayed silent, Schwartz found a way to fight back. A family brunch conversation led him to libertarian law professor Ilya Somin, who was rallying small businesses to challenge the tariffs in court. Schwartz became the lead plaintiff in V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. United States, joined by a motley crew of businesses from across the country.

The legal argument was straightforward: tariffs are supposed to protect domestic industries, but you can’t replicate French Champagne in California or Bordeaux’s unique terroir in Napa. Tariffs on imported wine simply raised costs without any real benefit to American producers.

Despite warnings from his own family about taking on the vindictive president, Schwartz refused to back down. He was disgusted by the corporate and academic elites who caved to Trump’s demands, while his business suffered. “This was a bad business decision,” Schwartz said. “This is somebody who’s been bankrupt, what, six times? I do not believe he’s a good business person.”

The case made its way through the courts and landed before the Supreme Court in November 2023. Schwartz was there in the courtroom, surrounded by notable figures including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and actor John Mulaney. In February 2024, the Court ruled 6-3 that Trump had exceeded his authority in imposing these tariffs.

The victory was a rare and hard-fought win against the Trump administration’s economic chaos. For Schwartz, it was a moment of vindication, celebrated with a bottle from the Rhône Valley. But the broader lesson is clear: Trump’s tariffs were not about protecting America, but about enriching cronies and punishing allies and consumers.

Schwartz’s fight exposes the corruption and incompetence at the heart of Trump’s trade wars. It’s a reminder that even in the face of authoritarian overreach, ordinary Americans can push back—and win.