A U.S. federal appeals court has denied former President Donald Trump's request to delay litigation over tariff refunds, clearing the path for businesses to pursue billions in repayments through the U.S. Court of International Trade. The March 2, 2026 ruling follows a landmark Supreme Court decision last month that struck down Trump-era global tariffs as illegal, sparking a surge of lawsuits from affected companies.
Over 900 refund claims have already been filed by corporations ranging from logistics giant FedEx to cosmetics leader L'Oreal, with analysts estimating more than 1,000 entities could ultimately join the legal fray. The disputed tariffs generated over $130 billion for the U.S. government through late 2025, according to court documents.
Small businesses and legal advocates celebrated the appeals court's refusal to grant a four-month delay requested by Trump's legal team. The Liberty Justice Center, representing several plaintiffs, criticized the administration's contradictory stance on refund timelines as "plainly unreasonable" in recent filings.
While the Supreme Court's February 2026 ruling invalidated country-specific tariffs, Trump has since invoked alternative trade laws to implement new 10% import duties—a move that continues to draw international scrutiny. Legal experts warn the cascading disputes could reshape U.S. trade policy frameworks for years to come.
