Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump IEEPA Tariffs as U.S. Begins $166 Billion Refunds

The U.S. tariff refund process has begun for businesses after the Supreme Court struck down much of the Trump administration’s IEEPA tariffs as unconstitutional, but the refunds are not reaching most individual consumers directly.

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Boursorama

NPR describes how Chyrsanthos, who imported a sky-blue concrete sink from Bulgaria for a Massachusetts home renovation, “logged in to get the money back” after U.S Customs launched its online portal, only to learn the portal “wasn't for most individual customers.”

Boursorama

Instead, NPR says the refunds would go to whoever directly paid Customs as the importer of record, “often a U.S. company.”

U.S. News & World Report similarly frames the issue by saying reimbursements are “for the tariff, but you did not pay it to the government,” and it notes the administration said CBP repayments “will generally be issued within 60-90 days following acceptance of the CAPE Declaration.”

The New York Times reports that the administration is beginning to return “more than $166 billion” in duties deemed illegal by the Supreme Court, while emphasizing that “You probably won’t receive a huge tariff refund.”

The same Times piece says the government owes refunds to importers on its record books, “meaning companies, in many cases,” even if those businesses shifted costs to customers.

In parallel, Reuters-based reporting in Boursorama says the Supreme Court ruling could lead to refunds of “$175 billion” and that the refunds process is only beginning, with logistics likely left to the United States Court of International Trade.

Multiple outlets describe a refund system that depends on who paid the duties and how the paperwork is handled.

NPR explains that the online portal was launched by U.S Customs “to start the process of refunding $166 billion in tariff revenue,” but it directs refunds to the importer of record, which for many consumers is not the consumer themselves.

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The OregonLive report says the portal “opened this week” and that it was ordered into being by a federal judge after the U.S. Supreme Court in February ruled Trump’s tariffs illegal, while also noting the federal government has promised refunds within “60 to 90 days.”

OregonLive adds that businesses are “scrambling to get their paperwork in order to stake their claim on $166 billion in tariffs collected from importers,” and it quotes co-owner Mark Stell saying, “I am not naive in thinking it’s a slam dunk and we’re going to get our money back.”

It also reports that some businesses face eligibility problems because they didn’t directly import the goods, as Hood River Distillers’ CFO Erica Mitchell said the company “isn’t eligible to apply for refunds for most of the imported supplies it bought — and paid tariffs on — because it didn’t directly import them.”

Gizmodo adds a legal and procedural layer by describing CBP’s “new online portal” that allows importers to apply for refunds on tariffs the Supreme Court struck down, and it states that “importers paid roughly $166 billion in tariffs under Trump’s unconstitutional policy.”

U.S. News & World Report ties the process to a specific mechanism, saying the federal government “launched a platform to process refund requests” and that reimbursements are issued through CAPE.

As refunds begin, companies’ responses range from promises to pass value along to litigation seeking to control how refunds are distributed.

Money reports that it asked 19 companies whether they plan to give customers tariff refunds, and it says “Only 3 Replied,” with the only big firms confirming customer refunds being “FedEx, UPS and DHL.”

Money quotes Costco CEO Ron Vachris saying on a March 5 earnings call that the company will return tariff refund money through “lower prices and better values,” while also noting that Costco is “being sued by its shoppers” in class-action litigation.

Gizmodo describes a separate class-action lawsuit by “a pair of Nintendo gamers” filed in federal court in Washington state, arguing Nintendo should not keep “ill-gotten profits” after it allegedly raised prices to offset tariff costs while seeking a refund.

Gizmodo also reports that Nintendo itself sued the U.S. government last month, arguing it is entitled to refunds, and it quotes the lawsuit’s claim that “Unless restrained by this Court, Nintendo stands to recover the same tariff payments twice—once from consumers through higher prices and again from the federal government through tariff refunds, including interest paid by the government on those funds.”

In the same Gizmodo account, FedEx says, “Yes. FedEx will issue refunds for IEEPA tariffs paid to shippers and consumers who originally bore those charges once FedEx begins receiving refunds from CBP.”

NPR adds a consumer-facing example, quoting Chyrsanthos after DHL announced it would provide refunds for customers who had paid tariff fees to them directly: “Now that's unexpected and wonderful.”

The refund process is unfolding alongside political resistance and legal uncertainty about how refunds will be handled and whether the government can delay or limit them.

L’Express reports that the Supreme Court invalidated the tariffs on “vendredi 20 février” and that the court “ne s'est pas exprimée sur la question des remboursements,” quoting Judge Brett Kavanaugh: “La Cour ne dit rien aujourd'hui sur la question de savoir si, et le cas échéant comment, le gouvernement devrait procéder pour restituer les milliards de dollars qu'il a perçus auprès des importateurs.”

Gizmodo

L’Express also says the judge recognized the refunds would have a “poids conséquent sur le Trésor,” and it reports that the tariffs’ receipts could reach “175 milliards de dollars,” citing experts from Penn Wharton University.

It further describes congressional action, saying “22 sénateurs démocrates” unveiled a bill requiring customs to refund companies the duties “majorés d'intérêts” within “180 jours,” and it quotes Ron Wyden of Oregon saying the “plan fiscal illégal de Trump” caused “des dommages durables.”

The same L’Express account quotes Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at an event in Dallas, Texas, saying, “Mon sentiment est que cela pourrait être prolongé sur des semaines, des mois, des années,” and it adds that he estimated the American people “ne verra pas” the restitution.

U.S. News & World Report also highlights Trump’s personal stance, quoting him on CNBC: “I think it's brilliant if they don't do that,” and “I'll remember them.”

Boursorama reports that after the Supreme Court decision, Trump promised to use additional powers to impose more tariffs, including “a temporary 10% levy on all imports,” which increases uncertainty for businesses deciding whether to seek refunds.

Looking ahead, the sources describe a refund system that is still being built, with eligibility disputes, administrative complexity, and the possibility that the money will not flow to consumers even if businesses receive it.

“Les risques pesaient sur l'administration Trump depuis la décision de la Cour suprême d'invalider, vendredi 20 février, les droits de douane sur la quasi-totalité des produits entrant aux États-Unis”

L'Express

NPR says Chyrsanthos found the portal wasn’t for most individual customers and that consumers must rely on “the goodwill of companies to pass those refunds along, or on class action lawsuits to force a return.”

L'Express

It also quotes Terence Lau, dean of Syracuse University College of Law, saying, “It's nearly impossible to determine how much individual consumers paid,” because products can include parts from multiple countries and tariff rates can change over time.

OregonLive reports that the federal government has promised refunds within “60 to 90 days,” but it also asks whether “the available money run out” and whether Trump will “find a way to block the refunds,” while noting that Trump said it would be “brilliant” if companies don’t apply for the refunds and he’ll “remember” those who don’t.

Money reports that the refund portal is in “Phase 1” and that only certain tariff entries that are “unliquidated or recently liquidated” can be processed, while also stating the Trump administration has until “June 7” to appeal the judge’s order.

Boursorama says the logistics will likely be left to the United States Court of International Trade and that since April, “more than 1,800 tariff-related lawsuits have been filed” there, compared with “fewer than two dozen” such actions for all of 2024.

Slate adds that some businesses sold their right to a refund to hedge funds and that “many of those businesses passed their costs on to consumers,” while also stating that “On average, American families have each spent about $1,744.75 on tariffs.”