Trump administration begins refunding more than $166bn in tariffs
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- The Trump administration has started accepting refund applications for over $166 billion in tariffs following a Supreme Court ruling that the president lacked legal authority to impose them.
- The new digital claims system, called Cape, launched to process about 63% of affected import filings, with the remainder to be handled later.
- The Supreme Court majority, including Chief Justice John Roberts and two Trump appointees, ruled that the 1977 emergency statute did not authorize the tariffs, while three justices dissented.
- Over 3,000 companies, including Skechers, Revlon, Toyota, Nintendo, FedEx, and Costco, have sued for refunds, but only those who officially paid tariffs—mainly importers and large corporations—are eligible to claim.
- Refunds may take 60 to 90 days to process, and while some companies like FedEx and Costco have indicated they might pass savings to customers, there is no guarantee ordinary consumers will directly benefit.
