By Micah Jonah, February 24, 2026
Global logistics giant, FedEx has filed a lawsuit against the United States government seeking a refund of tariffs it paid under President Donald Trump’s trade policy, days after the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the legal foundation of the tariff regime.
The company lodged the suit at the US Court of International Trade against Customs and Border Protection and its commissioner, Rodney Scott, the agency responsible for collecting the disputed tariffs.
In its filing, FedEx said it had suffered injury from the tariffs imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act and is seeking a full refund following the apex court’s ruling that only Congress has the authority to impose tariffs during peacetime. The Supreme Court held that the President overstepped constitutional powers in implementing the sweeping tariff measures.
The legal action introduces fresh uncertainty into global trade and the American import system, as the court did not provide guidance on how previously collected tariffs running into billions of dollars should be refunded. No formal refund mechanism has yet been established by regulators or the courts.
FedEx had earlier projected a one billion dollar financial impact in 2026 arising from the tariffs and related trade measures, including the removal of exemptions on small packages valued under 800 dollars.
Industry groups, including the US Chamber of Commerce and the National Retail Federation are reportedly pushing for a swift and structured refund process. Other multinational retailers are also said to be exploring similar legal steps to recover tariff payments.
The trade measures were part of a broader global tariff expansion that disrupted established trade relationships and affected partners including Canada, Mexico and China. While the International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs have now been invalidated, other sector specific tariffs under separate trade laws remain in force.
Economic analysts estimate that the United States collected well over 140 billion dollars under the invalidated tariff framework, with some projections placing the total closer to 175 billion dollars.
With the Supreme Court’s decision reshaping the legal landscape of US trade policy, the outcome of FedEx’s lawsuit is expected to set a major precedent for how tariff refunds are handled, how executive powers over trade will be interpreted going forward.
