Supreme Court Forces Trump to Return $166 Billion in Tariffs Imposed Without Constitutional Authority

The Supreme Court struck down Trump‑era tariffs as unconstitutional, prompting the U.S. to begin refunding $166B to importers. (Credit: The White House/WikiMedia Commons)

The United States government has begun the process of refunding up to $166 billion (£130 billion) in tariffs charged under President Donald Trump, after the Supreme Court ruled the policy was imposed without constitutional authority. The Trump administration on Monday launched a new system — known as CAPE — to begin refunding the duties to US importers, allowing Customs and Border Protection to issue consolidated electronic payments and streamlining what would otherwise be a complex, entry-by-entry refund process.

Importers and their brokers are now able to begin claiming refunds through an online portal, with Customs and Border Protection administering the system. As of 14 April, 56,497 importers had completed registration and were eligible for refunds totalling $127 billion (£99.6 billion), including interest.