US Federal Judge Orders Tariff Refunds

A US federal judge has ruled that thousands of businesses are eligible for refunds on tariffs previously introduced by Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and later struck down by the US Supreme Court. The United States===United States Court of International Trade ordered United States===United States Customs and Border Protection to reimburse importers. Atmus Filtration Technologies brought the case, and the judge will oversee related refund claims. While details on refund issuance are unclear, the decision is a setback for the Trump administration. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated a new 15% global tariff is likely to replace the cancelled IEEPA duties, which generated an estimated $130 billion. Companies like FedEx have also filed lawsuits for reimbursement, and the ruling was welcomed by small-business coalition We Pay the Tariffs. This decision adds further uncertainty to US trade policy, following earlier 'Liberation Day' tariffs and additional tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China that were also struck down.