FedEx filed a lawsuit Monday against the U.S. Government seeking a full refund of tariffs paid under former President Donald Trump’s administration, following the Supreme Court’s ruling last Friday that invalidated the legal basis for those tariffs. The suit, filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, alleges that FedEx incurred costs expediting shipments through customs and is entitled to reimbursement of duties paid, plus interest, and compensation for financial harm suffered as a result of the tariffs.
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision determined that Trump did not have the authority, under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), to impose the tariffs. Although the ruling struck down the legal justification for the tariffs, it did not explicitly address whether companies were entitled to refunds, leaving that question to be decided by lower courts. The case is expected to trigger a wave of similar lawsuits seeking billions of dollars in reimbursements, potentially leading to years of legal battles, according to trade experts.
FedEx did not disclose the total amount of tariffs it paid, but in a September statement, the shipping giant anticipated a $1 billion impact to its fiscal-year earnings from U.S. Trade policies, a portion of which involved IEEPA duties. The company stated its priority remains “supporting our customers as they navigate regulatory changes” and that it took “necessary action to protect the company’s rights as an importer of record.”
The lawsuit names the U.S. Government and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as defendants. FedEx is requesting a court order compelling CBP to refund all duties paid under IEEPA. The complaint asserts the court has the authority to provide “remedial relief and refunds of IEEPA duties paid by importers,” and that FedEx has suffered “injury” as a result of the tariffs.
This action follows a similar suit filed in December by Costco, similarly seeking tariff refunds in the U.S. Court of International Trade. The Trump administration significantly increased tariff revenue during its tenure, with a 300% increase reported prior to the Supreme Court’s consideration of the case. The administration had warned that processing refunds could take years.
