THE administration of United States President Donald Trump has refunded about US$100 billion in tariffs collected before the Supreme Court invalidated many of the duties, according to a filing submitted to the US Court of International Trade.
The filing, made by US customs officials on Aug 4, stated that "refunds (duties plus interest) of approximately US$100 billion have been completed using the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries Refund component, certified by the agency, and sent to the US Department of Treasury for disbursement".
Reuters reported on Thursday that the refunds, completed as of the end of July, account for more than half of the US$166 billion in tariff revenue affected by the Supreme Court's February ruling.
The court found that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) did not give the president unilateral authority to impose sweeping tariffs on imports from US trading partners, striking down one of the Trump administration's signature trade measures.
Tariffs have remained a cornerstone of Trump's economic and foreign policy agenda despite mounting legal challenges and criticism from economists, businesses and political opponents.
Democrats have criticised the administration over the distribution of the refunds, arguing that the money has largely gone to importing companies rather than American households that ultimately bore the higher costs of imported goods.
"Trump is sending the 'refunds' to the companies, not working people. Every single cent of these refunds should go back to American consumers," Democratic Congressman Greg Casar said.
Following the Supreme Court decision, Trump intensified his trade strategy by introducing temporary 10 per cent tariffs under a separate legal authority and criticised the justices, describing them as "disloyal".
The administration subsequently unveiled another round of global tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a provision designed to address unfair or discriminatory trade practices by foreign countries.
The latest developments underscore the administration's determination to preserve tariffs as a central policy tool even as legal scrutiny over presidential trade powers continues. - August 6, 2026
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