US opens refunds portal for $166bn Trump tariffs after Supreme Court ruling

The United States government has launched a new system to process refunds for more than $166 billion in tariff revenues collected under policies introduced during the administration of President Donald Trump, following a ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States that struck down parts of the trade measures.

The refund initiative was announced on Monday by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which confirmed that the first phase of its processing tool is now active, allowing importers and customs brokers to begin submitting claims for reimbursement.

The development follows the Supreme Court’s February decision, which invalidated certain tariff measures imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a legal framework used by the Trump administration to impose wide-ranging duties on multiple trading partners.

The court ruling effectively opened the door for affected businesses to recover payments made under the disputed tariff regime, which had generated significant revenue for the US government.

CBP estimates that more than 330,000 importers could be eligible for refunds, covering duties paid on over 53 million shipments. In the initial rollout, about $127 billion in tariff payments have been classified as eligible for electronic refund processing.

However, the agency clarified that not all tariffs introduced during the period have been affected. Sector-specific duties on products such as steel, aluminium, and automobiles remain in force.

Following the ruling, numerous companies have filed claims with the Court of International Trade seeking recovery of previously paid duties.

Industry observers say the final distribution of refunds may depend on whether businesses pass recovered funds on to consumers, who initially bore part of the tariff costs.

Some firms have already indicated plans to issue reimbursements. Logistics company FedEx, for instance, said it intends to refund eligible tariff charges to shippers and end users who originally absorbed the costs.

CBP stated that approved refund claims will generally be processed within 60 to 90 days after verification, once applications are successfully reviewed.

The move marks a major administrative step in unwinding parts of the tariff policy and is expected to generate further legal and commercial activity as more firms seek compensation.