FedEx sues Trump administration for “full refund” of tariff payments

FedEx has taken legal action against the Trump administration, filing a lawsuit seeking a “full refund” of all payments made under a set of tariff policies that were deemed illegal by the Supreme Court. The complaint, filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, marks the first major lawsuit seeking tariff reimbursements since the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump had exceeded his authority by imposing sweeping tariffs using the International Economic Emergency Powers Act.

The Supreme Court did not explicitly state whether businesses that paid tariffs under the IEEPA are entitled to refunds, leading to the expectation of a flood of lawsuits in lower courts over the billions of dollars in tariff payments made over the past year. FedEx is seeking an order from the trade court to force Customs and Border Protection to refund all duties paid in 2025 under the federal emergency powers law.

In a statement, a FedEx spokesperson emphasized the company’s commitment to supporting customers through regulatory changes and protecting its rights as an importer of record. The company had previously estimated a $1 billion hit to profits in 2025 due to the Trump administration’s tariff policies.

FedEx is requesting a refund of all duties collected on entries subject to IEEPA duties, along with interest and legal fees. The logistics company joins other large corporations, such as Costco, Revlon, and Bumble Bee Foods, in seeking reimbursement for tariffs paid before the Supreme Court ruling.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision, President Trump quickly imposed a new 15% global tariff using a different trade law from 1974. This tariff, allowed under the 1974 law for a maximum of 150 days, aims to address significant balance-of-payment deficits. The ruling specifically affected tariffs imposed under IEEPA, including reciprocal tariffs on numerous countries and drug trafficking-related tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit filed by FedEx. The issue of tariff reimbursements is likely to result in years of legal battles as businesses seek to recover payments made under the now deemed illegal tariff policies.