US trade court to Trump administration – speed up tariff refunds

The U.S. Court of International Trade is pressing the Trump administration to speed up tariff refunds for billions of dollars owed to importers. Judge Richard Eaton stated Tuesday that the ongoing delays in returning funds collected under global tariffs, which the Supreme Court struck down in February, are creating a significant inequity.

Eaton emphasized that "the time has come to refund all the duties," highlighting the growing disparity between large and small businesses affected by the hold-up. The government's decision to challenge an earlier directive to refund "any and all" tariffs collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act is contributing to the delays, according to the judge.

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The time has come to refund all the duties.

Susan Thomas, executive assistant commissioner for trade at Customs and Border Patrol, appeared before the court. She explained that the agency plans to refund the remaining tariffs at a later date, stating, "We can't do it all at once." As of now, Customs and Border Patrol has accepted and begun processing roughly $90 billion of the estimated $166 billion collected under the illegal tariffs. Approximately $23 billion has already been refunded, with total planned refunds expected to reach $127 billion.

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We can’t do it all at once.