Trump administration to refund $20B after Supreme Court strikes down tariffs

The Trump administration has begun issuing more than $20 billion in tariff refunds to importers after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling struck down key tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

According to recent reports, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has already processed about $20.6 billion in repayments, with tens of billions more still expected as companies file claims and additional entries are reviewed .

The Supreme Court ruled in early 2026 that the tariffs were unconstitutional because only Congress has the authority to impose taxes and tariffs, not the president acting alone under emergency powers.

That decision invalidated a wide range of tariffs imposed in 2025, triggering one of the largest refund operations in U.S. trade history.

In total, analysts estimate that between $85 billion and $175 billion in tariff revenue could ultimately be refunded, depending on how many claims are approved and processed .

The government has set up a new system to handle the repayments, but companies report that refunds are arriving unevenly and that the process remains complex and slow.