On April 20, 2026, the Trump administration launched an online portal for businesses to claim refunds of tariffs the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in February 2026. The government owes more than $166 billion to over 330,000 importers — with interest accruing at roughly $22 million per day.
The Supreme Court struck down Trump's IEEPA tariffs 6-3 in February (Roberts, Gorsuch, Barrett joining the liberal justices), finding that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize tariffs. Trump warned of a “GREAT DEPRESSION” if refunds went through and tried to delay the process until the Court of International Trade intervened in March ordering the government to return the money.
Critically, only businesses that directly paid the tariffs are eligible for refunds — consumers who paid higher prices at the register are NOT eligible. Democrats estimated tariffs cost families $1,700+ each; consumers paid $231 billion in tariff costs from February 2025 to January 2026. Senator Markey criticized the “shortsighted decision to not issue automatic refunds.”
The administration is simultaneously pursuing replacement tariffs under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act — potentially imposing similar duties under different authority. The Liberty Justice Center (which won the SCOTUS case) is already challenging the replacement tariffs.
FedEx said it would try to return money to customers. Costco signaled it might pass savings on but faces a class action from shoppers who want their money back.
By mid-July, the refunds were flowing at scale. Budget figures released July 13, 2026 showed the government had already paid back $81 billion in tariff refunds so far this fiscal year (which began in October 2025), compared with about $5 billion in the same period a year earlier. A Treasury official said the spike was almost entirely due to the Supreme Court decision, with most of the refunds issued in May and June. The money is being returned to the importers who paid it; the consumers who absorbed the higher prices still get nothing.
Related entries: 20+ States Sue Trump Over a New 15% Global Tariff That Uses a Never-Before-Invoked Law as an End-Run Around the Supreme Court, U.S. Court of International Trade Strikes Down Trump's Section 122 Tariffs 2-1, His Second Tariff Scheme Blocked in Three Months; Trump Appeals the Following Day, After the Supreme Court Strikes Down His Emergency Tariffs, Trump Attacks His Own Appointees and Reimposes Global Tariffs Under Another Law.