Trump's tariffs could cost US government millions, court rules
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
A US trade court judge has ordered the government to start compensating importers for tariffs imposed during Donald Trump’s administration, which were previously ruled illegal, Reuters reports.
The court's position on payments
Judge Richard Eaton emphasized that the repayment process should not be complicated for government agencies.
During the hearing, he noted that the reimbursement mechanism has been refined over the years.
"Customs knows how to do this. They do it every day. They liquidate entries and make refunds," Eaton said, adding that the agency should be able to program its system to automatically issue compensation.
Complexity for customs authorities
Despite the judge’s ruling, US Customs and Border Protection officials describe the scale of the task as "unprecedented." Due to the vast number of product categories involved, implementing the order could take significant time.
Former Commerce Department official Ryan Majerus noted that the government might attempt to delay the process.
"The government may challenge the order’s scope or, at minimum, ask for more time to enable U.S. Customs to undertake what will undoubtedly be a monumental task here," he said.
Business expectations
Small businesses are the ones most affected by the court’s decision, as extended legal processes are too costly for them.
Lawyers emphasize that the government should simplify the procedure for refunding money as much as possible.
"There should be no impediment to CBP issuing refunds," George Tuttle, a trade attorney, emphasized.
Trump’s tariff policy
Recently, the US Supreme Court made a historic ruling, striking down key tariffs from Donald Trump’s administration. The court found that the administration had exceeded its authority when implementing them.
Previously, Trump used tariffs as a tool of foreign pressure. He allowed tariffs to be imposed on countries that, in his opinion, manipulated their currencies or created trade barriers for the US.
Even close allies were targeted. The President imposed tariffs on partners, justifying the measures as protecting national security and the interests of American manufacturers.
Despite lawsuits and criticism, Trump continued to push his strategy and even announced new tariff hikes, which eventually led to extensive legal battles in trade courts.
