- Trump's administration has refunded about $100 billion in tariffs since the Supreme Court struck down a wave of his duties this year, court filings show.
- The refunds represent 60 percent of the $166 billion collected after invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose duties.
- As of July 31, approximately $128.68 billion in potential and certified refunds had been accepted for processing, with $100 billion completed and sent to the Treasury Department.
- Amazon received about $600 million in refunds during Q2, according to CFO Brian Olsavsky.
- Following the Supreme Court ruling, Trump introduced a temporary solution that expired late last month, replaced by forced-labor-based tariffs.
- Trump invoked IEEPA to impose sweeping tariffs on trading partners after returning to the White House, but the Supreme Court ruled in February that he had exceeded his authority in doing so.
- The Supreme Court's ruling dealt a sharp blow to Trump's ability to deploy tariffs at will, as he sought to use them as a tool for leverage against US allies and competitors alike.
The Trump administration has refunded about $100 billion in tariffs after the Supreme Court ruled that duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were unlawful. This refund represents 60% of the $166 billion collected since the tariffs were enacted.234
The refunds were issued to importers who had paid the tariffs, with approximately $128.68 billion in potential and certified refunds accepted for processing as of July 31. Of this, around $100 billion has been completed and sent to the Treasury Department for disbursement.
The Supreme Court's ruling in February dealt a significant blow to President Trump's ability to impose tariffs at will, as he had used them as leverage against trading partners. Despite this setback, Trump has sought new means to reimpose tariffs on various partners, leading to further legal challenges.
The refunds have already benefited major corporations, with Amazon receiving about $600 million in refunds during the second quarter. According to finance chief Brian Olsavsky, the company plans to pass some of this money back to customers and use the remaining funds to lower store prices.5
Under US customs law, only importers who directly paid tariffs can claim refunds, meaning any consumer relief depends on individual businesses.
“The refunds stem from the Supreme Court's February ruling that Trump exceeded his authority under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Amazon alone received about $600 million in refunds during the second quarter, according to CFO Brian Olsavsky, who said some money would be passed to customers.”
BBC
