Delivery giant FedEx has pledged to return any tariff refunds it receives to the customers and shippers who originally paid them, following a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
The commitment comes after the US Supreme Court declared tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to be illegal.
FedEx had previously filed a lawsuit in the US Court of International Trade, seeking a refund on the tariffs it had paid. This legal action is part of a broader movement, with over 1,000 companies, including major US corporations such as Costco and Revlon, also pursuing legal avenues to recoup costs from these now-illegal tariffs.
In a statement issued on Thursday, FedEx affirmed its position: "If refunds are issued to FedEx, we will issue refunds to the shippers and consumers who originally bore those charges." The company added that the timeline and precise mechanism for these refunds would "depend in part on future guidance from the government and the court."
Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, it did not outline a system for how companies and individuals who paid these tariffs could be reimbursed. Establishing such a refund process is anticipated to be a protracted affair.
The libertarian-leaning Liberty Justice Center, which represented some of the initial plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case, announced on Tuesday that it, alongside co-counsel Neal Katyal, had filed coordinated motions in both the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the US Court of International Trade to expedite the refund process. A government response is expected by Friday.
FedEx concluded its statement by reiterating its dedication to transparency, promising to "communicate clearly as additional direction becomes available from the U.S. government and the court."
