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The US Court of International Trade has mandated that the government repay tariffs collected under the Trump administration. | Source: Shutterstock

Trump tariff saga continues with refund controversy

Posted March 17, 2026 | By Jeweller Staff

The US Court of International Trade has mandated that the government repay tariffs collected under the Trump administration.

In recent weeks, the US Supreme Court invalidated tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), potentially affecting billions of dollars in revenue.

As reported by Rapaport News, some legal experts have suggested that the ruling obligates US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to refund all importers, including those who did not file lawsuits.

The government, however, has argued that refunds should be restricted to importers who pursued legal claims. Brandon Lord, executive director at CBP, stated that the agency will need 45 days to implement a repayment system and will provide guidance for filing refund declarations.

"CBP is making all possible efforts to have this new Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) functionality ready for use in 45 days."

Brandon Lord, CBP

“CBP is making all possible efforts to have this new Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) functionality ready for use in 45 days,” he said.

“Currently, it is not possible for CBP to immediately prevent any additional entries from liquidating without IEEPA duties.”

CBP has collected about $USD166 billion ($AUD232 billion) from more than 330,000 importers, with approximately 20.1 million entries still unprocessed.

In April of the past year, President Trump levied global tariffs ranging from 10 per cent to 50 per cent. The change in policy sparked concern in the jewellery industry, including the diamond trade in India, the opal trade in Australia, and the broader luxury goods industry in Europe.

In a 6-3 vote, the US Supreme Court ruled that the tariffs exceeded the president's authority.

The US government’s request to pause the refund order during the appeal process was denied.
Following the Supreme Court decision, President Trump imposed a separate 10 per cent tariff under different regulations, with an expected increase of five per cent.