After a major court ruling, a massive payment process moved quietly through the government, raising fresh questions about who ultimately benefits.
Washington, August 5 – The administration of President Donald Trump has refunded approximately $100 billion in tariffs collected before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the duties, a court filing shows.
DETAILS
- A filing with the U.S. Court of International Trade states that refunds totaling about $100 billion were processed through the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries Refund component, certified by the agency, and sent to the U.S. Treasury for payment.
- According to U.S. Customs officials, the amount as of the end of July was recorded in the court filing.
- The sum represented more than half of the $166 billion collected in tariffs that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in February.
- Trump has made tariffs a central part of his foreign and trade policy, despite criticism from some analysts and legal challenges.
- Critics argue that the refunds did not reach households, but instead went primarily to importers.
Refunds (duties plus interest) totaling approximately $100 billion were completed using the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries Refund component, certified by the agency, and sent to the U.S. Treasury for payment.
– U.S. Court of International Trade
The court filing also stated that the amount as of the end of July had been recorded by U.S. Customs officials.
On February 20, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against most of the tariffs imposed by the administration, saying that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not give the president the authority to unilaterally impose tariffs on goods from foreign countries.
In response to the ruling, Trump launched a trade campaign, calling the judges disloyal and imposing temporary 10% tariffs under another legal mechanism that presidents had not previously used.
Another round of global tariffs was later imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which targets unfair or discriminatory economic practices by other countries.
The episode highlights tensions between the U.S. legislative and executive branches over tariffs and their impact on the economy and consumers.
