If Trump loses his tariff lawsuit, America may have to refund businesses more than $200 billion

https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/03/economy/trump-tariff-refund

47 comments

  1. Good. It’s the single biggest tax increase in American history. And it’s illegal!

  2. And, naturally, all of that money will filter back down to the consumers who are currently paying more to cover the tariffs. /s

  4. don’t worry, the sons of the commerce secretary have been selling a financial product where they will reimburse ya business pennies on the dollar for tariff charges, in exchange they get any refund should the courts overturn the tariffs.

  5. I move to have the 77 million morons and Rogan pay for it. Why should I and other intelligent people who voted against this be penalized for **NOT** being stupid?

  8. Plus interest.

    Trump’s stupidity is costing America billions.

  9. Also, the income tax reduction the tariffs allowed will be reinstated. What do you mean there were no reductions? That doesn’t matter. Income tax, for the poors, will go up.

  10. it’s too late. prices are never going down again.

    We’ve been robbed and we’ve lost our wallet

  11. >The Supreme Court will probably take on the case during the upcoming term, which begins next month; and the tariffs in question will likely remain in effect while the appeal is heard, said Ted Murphy, an international trade lawyer at Sidley Austin.

    Compare this treatment to the treatment student loan borrowers got while the SAVE case is being heard. Not only was the implementation of the plan blocked but it’s been so for over a year, and interest has resumed on the loans.

    >It’s possible that the government could decide to refund the invalid tariffs to all importers who paid them, he said. Another possibility: “The government could also take the position that the court decision only applies to the named plaintiffs, thereby requiring importers to file their own court action.”

    Why would this be up to the government? It should be part of the ruling.

    >Or, what Murphy believes is most likely: “The government could also try to get the court to approve an administrative refund process, where importers have to affirmatively request a refund.”

    I could see the court pulling something like this, which would be a de-facto ruling in favor of Trump because it’s impossible to process every refund as a 1:1 case.

    Why are businesses being considered for the refund and not the American taxpayers that actually paid the tariffs?

  14. He won’t lose. The corrupt SC will hand it to him.

  15. I will almost guarantee that having the tariffs overturned and refunded is exactly what the plan is.

    Cantor Fitzgerald that was once headed by Sec of Commerce Lutnick (a huge tariff pusher) and is now led by his two kids (Brandon Lutnick, is the chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald and his other son, Kyle Lutnick, is the executive vice chairman) has been buying tariff refund rights at .20c – .30c on the dollar for months. This means that when the tariffs get refunded Lutnick and his sons earn 300-500% on their investment in just a few months. If they bought $100b in refunds for $20b, they pocket $80b. They would not be making this investment if they didn’t already know it was a sure thing, and since their dad is Commerce Secretary and he used to run the firm, they know it’s a sure thing.

    Then, when tariffs are repealed, Trump can blame the crazy leftist judges for crashing the economy he himself has already crashed. We may not be feeling totally desperate yet, but our fate is sealed, and this will be blamed squarely on tariffs getting repealed, just like he planned so he would have a finger to point at the same time as he and his cronies steal billions from the US Treasury (a.k.a. You and I)

  17. So businesses get paid back for the tariffs we the consumers have paid… that is just a slap to the face. Gotta love the crowd supporting these shenanigans.

  18. He will not lose. There isn’t any reason to think otherwise. He owns the Supreme Court.

  19. F that.

    They owe the American people a refund, not these damn corporations.

  21. Consumers will get hit twice in this scenario. The first, higher prices at the store. The second, footing the bill for refunds to importers.

  22. It is even worse than that, the biggest proponent of the tariffs in the Trump administration, Lutnick, his two sons created a company that pays the tariffs for many/most of these businesses who had imports that were impacted.

    These businesses pay them a small fee for this initially, but if the tariffs are rolled back, this company gets to keep most of these tariffs they paid. If the tariffs get rolled back, they are in a position to make billions.

    There is no level within the Trump administration that is not completely corrupt, Trump and his entire administration should be impeached, but the GOP controlled Congress is enabling all of it by taking no action and running cover for the Epstein files.

  23. This is what happens when someone levies taxes that are likely illegal and Congress doesn’t step in to check the action.

  24. If the tariffs are reversed… Start keeping track of prices before the tariffs to after the tariffs. Find out which corporations are using tariffs to intentionally raise the prices of their goods. Once we find them… BOYCOTT them until they go out of business.

  25. Lmao back to the businesses? Instead of to the customers who actually paid the fucking price?

  26. So a bunch of CEOs are gonna get an another fat bonus check. Got it. Prices will stay high I’m sure.

  29. Wait I thought the tariffs get passed on to us? So shouldn’t we get the refunds?

  30. So we pay the tariffs through raised prices, then our tax money also goes to those businesses as a repayment for the prices we already paid.

    So they get our money twice. Almost like that is by design and just another way to fleece the American tax payers.

  32. Um… Businesses? What about us poor saps who paid for the tariffs??

  34. 200 billion? didn’t he say the US has already made several trillion?

  36. But they won’t refund the American people who fucking paid higher prices due to his insane bullshit.

  38. [If anyone wants a read, I just read most of Trumps entire wikipedia page. He gave the banks more of his businesses than he kept due to him more often than not defaulting on his loans. This man claimed he was a good business man because he just threw money at something and saw if it stuck. If it did stick, he would keep it above water for a few years and than default and the banks would take it. This man is currently and will destroy the American economy full stop and then him (not a billionaire, just has small hands) and his billionaire buddies will buy up most of the businesses of this country and turn it into a full fledge authoritarian oligarchy. Thats exactly what putin did and when trump isnt cleaning putins mess off of his face he is listening to his advice on how yo takeover a country.

  39. *american* businesses. There is not enough emphasis in any of the articles reporting this that the tariffs were paid for by AMERICANS

  40. We were never going to go back to pre-covid prices. Now we’re never going back to pre-tariff prices.

  41. So, the businesses will get “their” money back, and keep their prices right where they are.

    The dumbest timeline.

  42. Yeah how about don’t refund business because WE pay the tariffs, refund us.

  43. umm why is that going to businesses? LIKE WTF. CLASS ACTION AGAINST ALL CORPORATIONS THAT IMPORTED ANYTHING!!!

  44. That’s how the grift works You catch it on the way up and the way down. The key is to act like you’re fighting it:

    This is next-level corruption. Howard Lutnick, the current Commerce Secretary, is a key figure in pushing for these tariffs. At the same time, his sons who are now running his old company, Cantor Fitzgerald, are creating a financial product to profit from the tariffs.

    The scheme works like this:

    1. Small businesses get hit with massive tariffs that they can’t afford to wait years to get back through the courts.
    2. Cantor Fitzgerald offers to buy their right to a future refund for a small percentage of the value (around 20-30 cents on the dollar).
    3. If a court overturns the tariffs, Cantor Fitzgerald gets the full refund from the government, making a huge profit.

    Essentially, the Lutnicks are profiting from a policy that their family is directly involved in creating, while simultaneously taking advantage of the financial desperation it causes for other businesses. It’s a textbook case of profiting from the public trust. The father creates the chaos with tariffs, and the sons swoop in to feast on the wreckage, paying pennies on the dollar for what the government owes. It’s a ghoulish, predatory strategy where they profit from both the policy and the ruin it creates for everyone else.

    This is what happens when you elect people without an iota of integrity to office. And nothing is going to change until lawmakers have business interests. It’s a vicious cycle.

    Edit: I received a DM from a MAGA supporter saying that tariffs are necessary to recover revenue from Obama’s “secret trade deals”. I’m not sure how I even respond to that.

  45. A Message to My Fellow Americans

    To all the everyday, working people of this country: please remember, this isn’t about us being divided against each other. It’s about all of us demanding that our leaders are truly worthy of leading this great nation.

    We are living in a time when a single social media post can dismiss serious evidence as “fake news,” a “hoax,” or “AI-generated.” This is a direct attack on the truth that holds our country together.

    This is a propaganda tactic. It is used to shut down honest debate and let powerful people avoid taking responsibility. It is very important to know that this strategy can be used by anyone in power.

    Now is the time for everyone who supports this movement to think carefully about the future. Think about the time, money, and even relationships that may have been lost. It is always hard to walk away from something you’ve believed in. But please ask yourself: are the people you support truly worth your sacrifice? The powerful will never know your name or your worth.

    We are Americans. We believe in truth, dignity, and honesty. We believe in treating each other with respect and fairness. My own family has served this country for generations, fighting against Nazis and in other wars. I know what this country should stand for. I know we are not perfect, but we must always strive to be better.

    Please don’t give up now. Our freedom requires vigilance from all of us. It is never too late to do what is right.

    Reclaim your good name. You are being labeled with cruel and ugly terms by the rest of the country and it is pushing away the people who love you. If your friends and family are pulling away, try to bridge that divide. You can get your life back.

    It is completely understandable to feel unsure or frustrated by new technology and confusing news. It’s okay to have questions. You have the power to find the answers yourself.

    Be careful of any leader who tells you to trust only their news sources. A free person seeks out many sources of information.

    Here is a simple, non-political guide to help you find the truth:

    1. Check More Than One Source: Don’t believe something just because one news channel or website says it. See if other, different news organizations are reporting the same story. Look for photos or videos from other people who were there. The truth is usually supported by many pieces of evidence.

    2. Find the Original Source: Ask: “Where did this picture or story first come from?” You can use tools like Google Images to see if an old photo is being used to tell a new, false story.

    3. Listen to Experts: Trust news outlets that have real fact-checkers and investigators. Some groups, like Bellingcat, are experts at using technology to prove what is real and what is fake.

    4. Use Common Sense: Does a story seem too crazy to be true? Does it claim that huge groups of people are all coordinating a secret plot? Usually, the explanation for the “hoax” is more complicated and unlikely than the real story.

    5. Ask “Who Benefits?”: Think about the person sharing the news. What do they get if you believe it? Do they have a history of lying? Ask this question of everyone, politicians, news channels, and social media pages.

    By using these steps, you are not just learning the news, you are protecting our democracy. A healthy country depends on citizens who can tell the difference between truth and manipulation. It starts with each of us.

    Sincerely,

    A Concerned Citizen

  46. “American businesses” do.you mean american people???

  47. Lmao this guy is the worst business man ever. Literally has full control of the government. Can manipulate the market. And still fails at it.

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