US Government Returns $100 Billion in 'Liberation Day' Tariffs to Businesses Following Supreme Court Ruling

The administration of US President Donald Trump, through customs officials, has returned $100 billion (approximately Rp1,500 trillion) in ‘Liberation Day’ tariff refunds to the business community.

According to court filings from US Customs and Border Protection, this amount represents around 60% of all tariff revenue collected by the government under the policy. Nevertheless, $29 billion remains under review by trade authorities, while a further $1.6 billion has not yet been disbursed because importers have not submitted their bank account details.

The refunds are a consequence of a landmark US Supreme Court ruling in February, in which the justices determined that the imposition of broad import tariffs under the president’s economic authority was unlawful.

Previously, the White House had relied on the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which grants the president authority to restrict or ‘regulate’ trade during a state of emergency. However, the policy sparked protests from companies facing surging import taxes, as well as concerns about rising consumer prices.

Under US customs law, tariffs are paid by domestic businesses and importers when goods arrive at customs. Higher tariffs increase upfront business costs, which are typically passed on to consumers through higher retail prices.

Since the Supreme Court ruling, several major American corporations have reclaimed their funds in significant amounts. One of them is Amazon, which received a refund of approximately $600 million during the second quarter.

Amazon’s Chief Financial Officer, Brian Olsavsky, stated during the company’s second-quarter earnings call that the firm would return some of the money to customers who were charged specific fees, while the remaining funds would be used to support store price reductions.

Under US customs law, only importers who pay tariffs directly can claim refunds, meaning that relief for consumers depends entirely on the decisions of individual companies. Total tariff refund payments are expected to continue rising as more claims are processed.

Following the February court ruling, Trump briefly imposed a universal 10% tariff as an interim solution. After that policy expired last month, the administration introduced new tariffs on 60 trading partners over alleged failures to address forced labour, imposed just days after Trump levied a 50% tariff on Canada.