Businesses Fight for Billions in Tariff Refunds

A Major Ruling on Illegal Tariffs Sparks New Refund Debates

Key Takeaways

• U.S. companies paid $8.3 billion in March for a tariff that a court has now deemed illegal.
• This ruling could lead to more requests for refunds, adding to the $166 billion in import taxes already set to be refunded from previous tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court.
• It remains uncertain whether consumers, who ultimately bore the cost of these tariffs, will ever see any of the money back.

The situation is getting even more complex as another $8.3 billion is added to the pile of money at stake in the ongoing legal battle over tariffs collected by the government that courts have since found to be unlawful.

On Thursday, the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled against a 10% global tariff that President Donald Trump imposed in February. This decision came after the Supreme Court had previously struck down his "Liberation Day" tariffs. Although the current ruling only applies to Washington State, where the plaintiff is located, it could trigger a new wave of businesses seeking refunds for import taxes they paid.

According to We Pay the Tariffs, an anti-tariff lobbying group, citing data from the Census and analysis by the Trade Partnership Worldwide research group, $8.3 billion was collected from U.S. businesses under the newly invalidated tariffs in March alone.

What This Means for the Economy

The continuous legal disputes surrounding these tariffs are increasing uncertainty for businesses regarding trade policy. This uncertainty has led many companies to delay hiring and expansion plans, which in turn slows down job growth and economic activity.

The ruling also adds to the confusion about the future of tariff policy, which has seen frequent changes since early 2025 when Trump began a campaign to raise steep tariffs on most of the U.S.'s trading partners. This campaign, intended to boost domestic manufacturing, has been challenging for businesses to navigate.

Companies are still waiting for an estimated $166 billion in refunds from the previous tariff-related court case. At the same time, the government is preparing a new round of import taxes using a different legal justification.

Another unresolved issue is whether consumers will ever receive any of the refund money. Experts say that importers passed most of the tariff costs onto their customers, who then passed them down the supply chain, ultimately affecting people who bought the tariffed goods at stores.

"If I go on Amazon last year and buy a three-pack of Oral B electric toothbrushes for $19, and there was $2 of tariff in that, I ultimately paid it," said Pete Mento, a director of global trade management services at Baker Tilly, in an interview with CryptoLiveDaily. "But it's the retailer who would go back and get that money. So do I sue Amazon for my three bucks? I don't think that'd be a very worthwhile pursuit, but ultimately, a lot of these tariffs were paid at retail. So where's their opportunity to recover the money?"

Among trade experts, this question is often discussed. However, no one has a clear answer on how the money will be recovered.

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