ABC News Daily Will anyone get a refund for Trump’s illegal tariffs?
Feb 23, 2026
Ian Verrender, ABC chief business correspondent who covers economic and trade issues, breaks down the Supreme Court ruling on Trump’s tariffs. He explains who actually bore the costs, why refunds will be messy, and how a new 15 percent global tariff reshapes competition for Australian exporters. He also looks at the diplomatic fallout and the wider market uncertainty this legal chaos creates.
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Who Actually Paid The Tariffs
- Tariffs are generally paid by importers then passed to consumers, so Australian exporters mostly lost sales rather than directly footing the tariff cost.
- Ian Verrender notes US importers, distributors or Australian firms with US subsidiaries bore costs, hurting smaller exporters without US offshoots.
Supreme Court Win Doesn't Mean Easy Refunds
- The Supreme Court ruled Trump's original tariffs exceeded authority, opening the door to complex refund claims but making recovery difficult.
- Ian Verrender warns American importers will face a legal minefield and many Australian exporters will likely struggle to reclaim losses.
Plan B Tariff Route Through Trade Act Section 122
- After the ruling, the administration used a different Trade Act section to reimpose tariffs, showing legal workarounds can quickly replace struck-down measures.
- Verrender says Section 122 became the plan B and will likely be legally challenged too.