First Trump Tariff Refunds Expected Around May 11
WASHINGTON, D.C. — April 21, 2026
The Trump administration is expected to begin issuing the first tariff refunds around May 11, according to an order filed Tuesday in the U.S. Court of International Trade. The timeline comes more than two months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the sweeping tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act illegal.
Judge Richard Eaton, who is overseeing the refund process, stated that about 21 percent of entries subject to the tariffs have been accepted for removal of duties through the new Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries, or CAPE, system. Roughly 3 percent of those entries have been liquidated and are now in the refund stage, which includes the issuance of payments by the U.S. Treasury.
As of April 26, approximately 1.74 million accepted entries had been liquidated and were moving through the refund process. Court documents indicate the overall refund effort could cover about $166 billion in duties paid by more than 330,000 importers on roughly 53 million entries.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued its 6-3 ruling on February 20, determining that President Donald Trump lacked authority to impose the tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The decision left unresolved the specific mechanics of how importers would be repaid, leading to uncertainty over the refund timeline and procedures.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, President Trump described the decision as “terrible” and “totally defective.” In response, the administration imposed a new 10 percent global tariff.
The Court of International Trade is now managing the repayment process for duties already collected. Officials have not released a complete schedule for all refunds, but the May 11 target marks the beginning of payments for the first group of accepted entries.
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The case highlights ongoing legal and policy debates over the use of emergency powers for tariffs and the balance between executive authority and judicial oversight in trade matters. The refund process is expected to continue in phases as more entries are reviewed and liquidated through the CAPE system.
Further updates on the exact timing and scope of additional refunds are anticipated as the process advances.
