The Trump administration has reportedly returned approximately $100 billion from tariffs that were deemed illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court, according to various sources.
This $100 billion figure, which accounts for 60% of the total $165 billion collected from tariffs introduced during Donald Trump’s administration, was disclosed by customs officials to the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) on Tuesday, as noted by the Financial Times.
Tariffs, which impose taxes on imported goods, have been a central component of Trump’s economic strategy since he resumed office last year.
In February, the Supreme Court invalidated a portion of the additional tariffs that Trump had enacted, obligating the government to reimburse the businesses that had paid these fees.
Trump has advocated for tariffs as a means to bolster the U.S. economy, aiming to revitalize domestic manufacturing, secure more favorable trade agreements, and reduce the federal budget deficit.
Despite these claims, the federal deficit has increased, reaching $1.37 trillion in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, marking a 2% rise compared to the same timeframe in 2025, following a period of decreased deficit attributed to higher tax revenues and tariff collections.
Last month, Trump implemented a new set of tariffs affecting over 80 countries, intended to replace a 10% global duty that was set to expire. These new tariffs range from 10% to 12.5% and apply to nations including the UK, Mexico, Canada, Australia, India, China, and all 27 member states of the European Union.
The recently imposed tariffs fall under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which targets countries implicated in forced labor practices.
However, this week, a coalition of 25 U.S. states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration regarding these tariffs, alleging that they are being used as a guise to reintroduce import taxes that were rejected by the Supreme Court in February.
The states are seeking a ruling from the CIT to halt the tariffs, declare them unlawful, and mandate refunds for the duties that have already been paid.
The states involved in this legal action contend that the tariffs on 59 countries and the EU encompass 99.4% of all U.S. imports. Officials from the Trump administration have asserted that these countries have not done enough to address products made with forced labor.
New York Attorney General Letitia James remarked that the Trump administration, after its defeat in the Supreme Court in February, is “once again attempting to unlawfully increase taxes on families and businesses with a new wave of tariffs.”
