US govt appeals judge’s order for tariff refunds

The U.S. government is formally appealing a judge's order to refund global tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, a move that could impact an estimated $166 billion in revenue.

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The Trump administration on Tuesday formally appealed a judge’s order for refunds of the United States (US) president’s global tariffs after they were struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this year.

The Supreme Court had previously ruled that President Trump overstepped his authority by imposing these duties. A subsequent order from a Court of International Trade judge mandated refunds, though the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been given room to comply.

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At stake is some $166 billion in revenue.

Last month, the CBP indicated it was on track to process approximately $85 billion in repayments, with $20.6 billion already approved. However, this latest appeal introduces uncertainty into the refund process. The CBP estimated in March that over 330,000 importers could be eligible for these repayments, including major corporations like FedEx and Costco, as well as smaller businesses.

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A refund system handled by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has already begun to process repayments.

President Trump has reportedly signaled he would remember companies that did not seek tariff refunds, suggesting a potential favorability bias. Since the Supreme Court's ruling, which did not affect sector-specific tariffs, Trump has utilized separate authorities to implement new, temporary tariffs on imports, with plans for more permanent duties.

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Last month, the CBP said in a court filing that it was on track to process about $85 billion in repayments, with $20.6 billion approved for disbursement.