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Federal Express Corp. filed a lawsuit against the United States government seeking refund for payments under President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs, which was recently ruled unlawful by the US Supreme Court
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The case was filed by FedEx and FedEx Logistics, Inc. before the US Court of International Trade, with the government, Customs and Border Protection and its commissioner, Rodney Scott, as defendants
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FedEx wants a refund of all duties paid under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act used by Trump, with interest as provided by law
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It also asks for CBP to reliquidate any entries that have been liquidated with IEEPA duties, and to adjust all unliquidated entries that were subjected to IEEPA duties
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The US-headquartered logistics company did not specify an amount but noted it “paid IEEPA duties on numerous entries” to date.
Federal Express Corp. (FedEx) has filed a lawsuit against the United States government, seeking refund for its payments under President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs, which was recently deemed unlawful by the US Supreme Court.
The case was filed by FedEx and FedEx Logistics, Inc. with the US Court of International Trade, with the government, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and its commissioner, Rodney Scott, as defendants.
The US-headquartered FedEx wants relief from all duties paid or will pay to the US arising from Trump’s executive orders issued in 2025 implementing the emergency tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
The global logistics company did not specify an amount but noted it “paid IEEPA duties on numerous entries” to date.
Based on CBP’s update on December 14, 2025, the agency reported a collection of approximately $133.5 billion in tariffs under the IEEPA authority.
CBP in a bulletin dated February 22 said it will end the collection of IEEPA tariffs starting February 24.
The FedEx lawsuit is currently on record as the first tariff reimbursement filed by a major company following the Supreme Court decision.
FedEx said the Court of International Trade is bound by the Supreme Court decision and “as a result of that decision should order refunds of all IEEPA duties paid by Plaintiffs, with interest as provided by law.”
Moreover, it asks for CBP to reliquidate any entries that have been liquidated with IEEPA duties, and to liquidate all unliquidated entries subject to IEEPA duties without IEEPA duties.
FedEx also asks to be awarded their reasonable costs, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in bringing the lawsuit.
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In a 6-3 decision on February 20, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the sweeping tariffs–which were implemented since 2025–exceed the powers given to the president by Congress under the IEEPA, a law issued in 1977 providing the president the authority to regulate commerce during national emergencies created by foreign threats.
“The president asserts the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration and scope,” chief justice John Roberts Jr. wrote in the ruling.
“IEEPA’s grant of authority to ‘regulate…importation’ falls short. IEEPA contains no reference to tariffs or duties. The Government points to no statute in which Congress used the word ‘regulate’ to authorize taxation. And until now no President has read IEEPA to confer such power,” Roberts added.
“We claim no special competence in matters of economics or foreign affairs. We claim only, as we must, the limited role assigned to us by Article III of the Constitution. Fulfilling that role, we hold that IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs,” he said.
Following the Supreme Court ruling though, Trump immediately announced a 10% across-the-board tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, effective February 24, 2026.
On February 21, he announced he will raise this to 15%.
“…I, as President of the United States of America, will be, effective immediately, raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff on Countries, many of which have been ‘ripping’ the U.S. off for decades, without retribution (until I came along!), to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
The 15% tariff, however, is allowed only for 150 days and will require Congress approval for extension.—Roumina Pablo
