‘A big mess’: Major uncertainty over whether Trump has to refund tariffs

Published February 20, 2026 3:39pm ET



A major question following the Supreme Court decision to strike down the Trump administration’s “Liberation Day” tariffs is whether the government will have to refund hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue it has already collected.

The court ruled Friday morning that President Donald Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs was unconstitutional, but it did not grapple with the issue of repayments.

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