The hidden catch: Donald Trump tariff refunds may have just one claim option

Major U.S. companies have started filing claims to get back money paid in Trump-era tariffs, but normal shoppers are not allowed to join this refund process. These tariffs were imposed by President Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, but later the U.S. Supreme Court ruled them illegal in a 6–3 decision. After the court ruling, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) opened a new online refund system called CAPE on April 20 to handle tariff refund claims.

CAPE portal tariff refund system

Through the CAPE portal, around 300,000 importers, including big companies like Walmart and Target, can now claim refunds worth over $166 billion plus interest, as noted by Daily Express. Everyday consumers who indirectly paid higher prices because of these tariffs are completely excluded from getting refunds through this system. Because of this exclusion, many consumers have started filing class-action lawsuits against big retailers to try to recover their extra costs.


Experts say one of the biggest questions is how much Trump’s tariffs actually raised prices for normal consumers in the first place. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that about 90% of the tariff burden was actually carried by U.S. companies and consumers, not foreign exporters. However, the exact amount of money consumers are losing because they cannot directly claim refunds is still unclear.

Class action lawsuits tariff refunds

Some companies have said they may pass refund money back to customers by lowering prices or giving benefits, instead of keeping it all. Companies like Costco, FedEx, and Cards Against Humanity have suggested they may return tariff refunds to customers in some form, as stated by Daily Express. AARP says the main way for consumers to get money back is through class-action lawsuits against companies that benefited from tariffs.

One lawsuit was filed in Illinois against Costco, where a customer wants the company to return any tariff refund money it receives back to shoppers. Costco’s CEO Ron Vachris said the company would try to return value to members through lower prices and better deals if refunds come in. Another major lawsuit was filed against Nintendo of America in Washington state after the tariffs were declared invalid.

In that case, customers are demanding that Nintendo share any tariff refund money it gets with buyers instead of keeping it. The lawsuit also claims Nintendo has not clearly promised to refund customers for the extra costs caused by the illegal tariffs, as noted by Daily Express. Overall, while companies may recover billions from tariff refunds, normal consumers are still unsure if they will ever directly see that money back.

FAQs

Q1. Can normal shoppers get Trump tariff refunds?

No, only importers and companies can claim refunds through the official system, not everyday consumers.

Q2. Why are people filing lawsuits over tariff refunds?

Because shoppers say they paid higher prices and want companies to return money if they receive tariff refunds.