The Trump administration has refunded approximately $100bn in tariffs collected under its “Liberation Day” policy, according to a court filing from US Customs and Border Protection. That sum accounts for roughly 60% of the $165bn in revenue generated by the sweeping import taxes.
The repayments follow a Supreme Court decision in February that declared the broad tariffs unlawful. The White House had relied on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, a law granting presidents emergency authority to regulate trade. But the justices ruled the levies exceeded those powers, and firms suddenly faced steep taxes on shipments entering the US.
Tariffs are not paid by foreign exporters. Domestic businesses and importers foot the bill when goods arrive at customs, and those costs typically flow to shoppers through higher retail prices. Since the court ruling, several major American corporations have claimed refunds. Amazon received about $600m during the second quarter, finance chief Brian Olsavsky said on an earnings call. He added that Amazon would pass some of the money back to customers where specific charges applied, using the rest to support lower store prices.
Under customs law, only the importers who directly paid the tariffs can request refunds. That leaves any relief for consumers in the hands of individual businesses. The total payout is expected to grow as US Customs reviews pending claims and importers update their banking details.
After the February ruling, President Donald Trump introduced a 10% universal tariff as a temporary fix. That measure expired late last month and was replaced with new tariffs on 60 trading partners, based on claims that key economic partners have failed to properly tackle forced labour. The move came days after Trump slapped a 50% tariff on Canada.
The latest duties, imposed on more than 80 countries, are rooted in Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. But this week, a coalition of 25 US states sued the administration, calling the tariffs a pretext for replacing the import taxes struck down by the Supreme Court. The states asked the US Court of International Trade to halt the duties, declare them unlawful, and order refunds for payments already made.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said the administration, after losing at the Supreme Court, was “once again trying to illegally raise taxes on families and businesses with a new round of tariffs.” Administration officials have defended the measures, arguing that the targeted countries have not done enough to crack down on products made by forced labour.