U.S. importers will be facing double hurdles trying to recover billions in tariff costs now that the Supreme Court has ruled President Donald Trump’s IEEPA tariffs are illegal.
Companies large and small may be eligible for refund payments that in total could reach hundreds of billions of dollars, but trade attorneys have warned that tariff refunds could be delayed, depending on how U.S. courts rule and how U.S. Customs goes about issuing payments.
Trump wrote in a social media post on Jan. 12 that “it would take many years to figure out what number we are talking about and even, who, when, and where, to pay.” He added: “It would be a complete mess, and almost impossible for our Country to pay.”
Record tariff revenue has been recorded by the U.S. government, with tariff collections surging in January to $30 billion and reaching a year-to-date total of $124 billion. That is up 304% from the same period in 2025.
The Supreme Court ruling was silent on whether tariffs that have been paid under the higher rates will need to be refunded.
