President Donald Trump’s use of tariffs drew widespread attention when he imposed them during his second term. He has defended the move, saying it generated revenue for the government.
However, several of those tariffs have now been ruled unlawful, and FedEx has decided to sue the Trump administration.
FedEx filed a lawsuit on February 23 in the U.S. Court of International Trade. The filing follows the Supreme Court’s recent 6-3 ruling that found many of Trump’s tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) unlawful.
Companies are now seeking refunds from the government for duties already paid, which could total as much as $175 billion. FedEx is among the first to take legal action.
The lawsuit states, “Plaintiffs seek for themselves a full refund from Defendants of all IEEPA duties Plaintiffs have paid to the United States.”
BREAKING: Global transportation company FedEx filed a lawsuit in the US Court of International Trade seeking a refund for US President Trump’s emergency tariffs, which the US Supreme Court deemed illegal last week https://t.co/kDbbaqYyG0 pic.twitter.com/XEHfZdHyAX
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 23, 2026
The defendants named in the lawsuit include U.S. Customs and Border Protection, its commissioner, Rodney Scott, and the federal government.
FedEx also released a statement regarding the matter: “While the Supreme Court did not address the issue of refunds, FedEx has taken necessary action to protect the company’s rights as an importer of record to seek duty refunds from US Customs and Border Protection.”
The ruling could create financial implications for the government if large-scale refunds are required.
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh commented on the refund issue, writing, “The court says nothing today about whether, and if so how, the government should go about returning the billions of dollars that it has collected from importers…refunds of billions of dollars would have significant consequences for the U.S. Treasury.”
Trump responded to the ruling by announcing a new 15% tariff on most imported goods, a move that sent volatility through the stock market.
He also posted on Truth Social about the decision, writing, “The supreme court (will be using lower case letters for a while based on a complete lack of respect!) of the United States accidentally and unwittingly gave me, as President of the United States, far more powers and strength than I had prior to their ridiculous, d–b, and very internationally divisive ruling.”
Businesses in America have moved quickly and are now demanding refunds for the tariffs they paid after the pronouncement by the United States Supreme Court that Donald Trump’s tariffs were illegal.
So this is how the tariffs worked. If you imported goods from South Africa and… pic.twitter.com/EBf82kQZAf
— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) February 20, 2026
He did not stop there, and further added, “For one thing, I can use Licenses to do absolutely ‘terrible’ things to foreign countries, especially those countries that have been RIPPING US OFF for many decades, but incomprehensibly, according to the ruling, can’t charge them a license fee. BUT ALL LICENSES CHARGE FEES, why can’t the United States do so? You do a license to get a fee!”
It is still a mystery how things will turn out in the future, and whether the general public will be able to get back the money they paid.
