Trump Advisor Says Widespread Tariff Refunds ‘Unlikely’ Even After Costco Lawsuit Challenge
A senior White House economic adviser signaled Monday that broad tariff refunds would be “pretty unlikely” even if a Supreme Court decision goes against President Trump’s emergency tariff program, a message that adds uncertainty for companies like Costco pushing for refunds now.
The warning came as Costco Wholesale Corporation and dozens of other import-heavy businesses have filed lawsuits to secure rights to refund duties paid under Trump’s global tariffs, widely challenged as exceeding presidential authority.
Those tariffs were enacted using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a 1977 law now under review at the U.S. Supreme Court over its use to justify sweeping import levies. Lower courts have already deemed some tariff actions unlawful, but what happens next — particularly around refunds — remains contested.
In an interview reported by the Daily Express, White House National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett said refunds would be “pretty unlikely” even if the high court strikes down the tariffs, citing administrative difficulties with issuing widespread reimbursements.
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“That’s because the government would have to track down who actually paid the duty and then figure out how to return it,” he said, underscoring the logistical complexity.
This matters because companies like Costco argue that they could be forced to absorb billions in costs unless courts guarantee refund rights now, not later. A decision that upholds tariff legality could lock in those costs for years, while one that overturns them without refund mechanisms could trigger new legal fights.
Trading in “refund claim” markets and firms selling rights to those claims shows businesses are already bracing for uncertainty.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule imminently on the broader legality of Trump’s tariff authority, a decision likely to shape not just refunds but broader executive power over trade.
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