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Supreme Court Trump tariffs ruling could put U.S. on hook for $175 billion in refunds, estimate says

The Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act were unlawful, potentially triggering $175 billion in refunds to American importers.

  • Conomists at the Penn Wharton Budget Model estimate that more than $175 billion in U.S. tariff revenue could potentially be refunded after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs.
  • Although the Court’s decision does not directly order refunds, it allows importers to file refund claims within 180 days after their goods are officially finalized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
  • The tariffs were imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act , marking the first time in the law’s nearly 50-year history that a president attempted to use it to set tariffs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection had collected about $133.5 billion under this authority as of December 2025.
  • The justices did not provide guidance on how refunds should be handled, though Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted in dissent that returning billions of dollars could significantly impact the U.S. Treasury. Numerous companies that challenged the tariffs are now expected to continue pursuing refund claims in lower courts.
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Trump has sometimes imposed illegal duties, which is what the Supreme Court has decided. However, the damage to German industry remains: Washington has long since put many taxes on a different basis – and announces new ones.

·Germany
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IBTimes broke the news in United States on Friday, February 20, 2026.
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