The US government has so far returned $81bn in tariffs to importers, following a ruling by the Supreme Court that the levies were unlawful, according to budget data published on Monday, as reported by the Guardian.
The Supreme Court in February invalidated much of the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, leaving the state owing money to companies that had paid them. A finance official told reporters that the surge in refunds was entirely due to this ruling, with the bulk of the payments made in May and June.
The scale is evident from a comparison: in the same period last fiscal year, tariff refunds amounted to just $5bn. The current fiscal year in the US began in October 2025.
Tariffs have been a central element of Trump’s economic policy since he returned to office last year. He presented them as a lever to return industry to the country, secure better trade deals, and reduce the budget deficit, with revenue from tariffs indeed slightly reducing the deficit. However, the deficit is rising again: in the first nine months of the fiscal year, it reached $1,367bn, 2.0 per cent higher than the previous year.
The federal government has spent more than $1,000bn on interest on the public debt, a 14 per cent increase, while military spending has risen by five per cent due to the war in the Middle East.
The general tariff of 10 per cent expires on 24 July, with the White House, according to the Guardian, preparing new fees linked to the enforcement of regulations on forced labour and excess industrial capacity.
