The US government has refunded more than US$81 billion (c.£60.5bn) in tariffs to businesses since October, up from just US$5bn during the same period a year earlier.
As reported by The Guardian, a Treasury Department official said the spike was almost entirely driven by the Supreme Court ruling in February, with most of the repayments issued in May and June.
According to the latest US Treasury data, US$49.2bn (c.£36.7bn) in tariff refunds were issued in June 2026, up from US$21.9bn in May and US$1.7bn in April.
The refunds follow a Supreme Court ruling in February that found tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) exceeded the president’s legal authority. The decision required the US government to repay importers that had paid the duties.
Following the ruling, the Trump administration introduced a temporary 10% global tariff, which is due to expire on 24 July.
The White House is now expected to introduce a revised package of trade measures using alternative legal powers. Reports suggest new tariffs could target a range of trading partners, while the administration has also signalled tougher action on imports linked to forced labour.
In June, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) published a report stating that 60 economies had done too little to prohibit or enforce restrictions on the import of goods produced using forced labour, adding further uncertainty for importers and global supply chains.
According to media reports, Trump has also threatened a 100% tariff on European countries that pursue new digital services taxes that would affect US companies.
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