FedEx Sues U.S. Government for Full Refund of Trump-Era Tariffs

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Washington: FedEx has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government seeking a “full refund” of tariffs paid under President Donald Trump’s tariff program, after the Supreme Court of the United States recently ruled that those duties were imposed without proper legal authority. The complaint was lodged on Monday in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York, where disputes over tariff payments are heard.

The dispute stems from tariffs that Trump imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a law traditionally used for sanctions, which the Supreme Court struck down in a 6-3 decision, saying he exceeded his authority in using it to levy broad trade duties. The high court did not directly order refunds, leaving lower courts and litigants like FedEx to determine the next steps.

In its lawsuit, FedEx acting as the importer of record for goods affected by the tariffs named U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), its commissioner Rodney Scott, and the United States government as defendants. The company did not disclose the exact amount it is seeking back, but legal experts say tariff collections could total in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

FedEx said it incurred significant costs to clear shipments through customs and claims it’s entitled to a refund of all IEEPA-related duties it paid with interest as allowed by law. The lawsuit follows similar actions by other major importers, even as the refund process remains unclear.

Experts caution that the process of untangling tariff reimbursements could take months or years, with courts likely to face a wave of claims as companies try to recover payments made before the Supreme Court ruling. Industry groups, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Retail Federation, are also pushing for clear guidance on refunds.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has indicated it will continue pursuing trade measures through different legal mechanisms, including a newly announced 15% global tariff, even as litigation over the IEEPA tariffs unfolds. This lawsuit marks one of the most prominent corporate efforts to reclaim duties paid under the now-invalidated tariff regime.