FedEx sued the US government on Monday, demanding a full refund of tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump’s executive order.
The lawsuit is one of the most high-profile moves by a major U.S. company following Friday’s 6-3 Supreme Court ruling that found the president did not have the authority to impose such tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
The complaint, filed against the government and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the Court of International Trade, alleges that FedEx incurred costs to clear shipments through customs and is entitled to reimbursement of import duties with interest, as well as compensation for the financial damages it suffered.
“Plaintiffs seek for themselves full reimbursement from Defendants of all IEEPA fees paid by Plaintiffs to the United States,” FedEx said in the lawsuit.
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The lawsuit does not disclose how much FedEx paid in tariffs. (FedEx)
“FedEx has taken the necessary steps to protect the company’s rights as a known importer to seek reimbursement of import duties from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that tariffs issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) are unlawful.”
The lawsuit does not disclose how much FedEx paid in tariffs. However, in September the shipping giant said it expected U.S. trade policy to have a $1 billion impact on fiscal year revenues, only part of which included IEEPA duties.
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FedEx sued the U.S. government, demanding a full refund of tariffs imposed under President Donald Trump’s emergency order on imports. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/Getty Images)
“Although the Supreme Court has not addressed the issue of refunds, FedEx has taken the necessary steps to protect the company’s rights as an importer of record to seek reimbursement of import duties from U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” the company said on its website.
“However, at this time there is no reimbursement process established by regulators or courts,” it added. “We will communicate all relevant information and updates in a timely manner, and we appreciate your patience as we await additional guidance and clarity from the U.S. government and the courts.”
The lawsuit names CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott and the U.S. as defendants.
FedEx is represented by Washington, D.C.-based Crowell & Moring, which also represents Costco and Revlon in IEEPA tariff refund cases filed before Friday’s Supreme Court ruling.
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| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDX | FEDEX CORP. | 383.71 | -4.77 |
-1.23% |
In February 2025, Donald Trump invoked the IEEPA to impose tariffs on imports from China, Canada and Mexico, citing national security concerns and unfair trade practices. He then expanded the measures in April to include reciprocal tariffs targeting 57 countries.
In fact, American businesses and consumers paid more than $175 billion in tariffs.
On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump that IEEPA does not authorize Trump to impose tariffs, confirming that the Court of International Trade has exclusive jurisdiction over the IEEPA tariffs.
FedEx claims to have incurred costs to clear shipments and is entitled to a refund of the import duties with interest. (Steve Russell/Toronto star via Getty Images/Getty Images)
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While CBP continued to collect the fees during the ongoing litigation, it announced that collection of the IEEPA fees would cease on Tuesday.
