Feb. 23, 2026 — New York — FedEx Corp. filed a lawsuit Monday against the U.S. government, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and related entities, in the U.S. Court of International Trade, demanding a full refund plus interest on tariffs paid under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The action follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last Friday deeming former President Trump’s emergency tariffs unlawful as exceeding presidential authority.
The complaint targets duties FedEx paid as importer of record on goods subject to the IEEPA tariffs, introduced last April on imports from most countries. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the IEEPA, intended as a sanctions tool, did not authorize peacetime tariffs, reserving taxation powers to Congress under the Constitution.
“Plaintiffs seek for themselves a full refund from Defendants of all IEEPA duties Plaintiffs have paid to the United States.”
FedEx stated it “has taken necessary action to protect the company’s rights as an importer of record to seek duty refunds” from CBP, noting the Supreme Court did not address refunds.
The tariffs, estimated at $175 billion total, are expected to prompt further suits from companies like Costco, according to Reuters. In a dissent, Justice Brett Kavanaugh warned:
“The court says nothing today about whether, and if so how, the government should go about returning the billions of dollars that it has collected from importers,” adding that “refunds of billions of dollars would have significant consequences for the US treasury.”
The story gained rapid traction on X, with high-engagement posts framing the suit as seeking “billions in taxpayer money.” One post by @SpencerHakimian amassed over 47,000 views, sparking debates on consumer impacts and potential class actions. Another by @ThePatriotOasis highlighted polarized views on refunds.
President Trump rebuked the ruling and announced new global tariffs, raising a baseline from 10% to 15%, per The Guardian. Trade negotiators emphasized unchanged policy goals for U.S. leverage.
