Workers unload packages from a FedEx truck on Cyber Monday, Monday, December 1, 2025, in New York, USA.
Beth Adler | Bloomberg | Getty Images
federal express on Monday sued the U.S. government for a “full refund” of money the shipping giant paid for tariffs unilaterally imposed by President Donald Trump last year, which the Supreme Court ruled last week were illegal.
FedEx’s lawsuit appears to be the first by a major U.S. company to seek restitution of tariffs after Friday’s Supreme Court ruling.
Other companies also filed lawsuits seeking refunds before the high court ruled that Trump’s tariffs were illegal under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
These lawsuits, with retail warehouse giant Costco as the plaintiff, are pending in the same U.S. Court of International Trade in New York where FedEx filed the suit.
The Supreme Court said in Friday’s ruling that the International Trade Court has “exclusive jurisdiction” over IEEPA tariffs.
“Plaintiffs are seeking a full refund from Defendants of all IEEPA duties paid by Plaintiffs to the United States,” Federal Express Corporation and its affiliate FedEx Logistics say in the new lawsuit.
The 11-page complaint names U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which collects the tariffs, its Commissioner Rodney Scott, and the U.S. government as defendants.
CNBC has reached out to CBP and the White House for comment on the lawsuit.
The complaint does not say how much FedEx has paid in IEEPA tariffs since President Trump imposed tariffs on most U.S. trading partners last year.
But FedEx said in September that it expected a $1 billion hit to its revenue this fiscal year because of U.S. trade policy, not all of which is related to IEEPA tariffs. This amount represents 16% of the total revenue of the previous financial year.
“Although the Supreme Court did not address the issue of refunds, FedEx has taken the necessary steps to protect its right as an importer of record to seek refunds of duties from U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” FedEx said in a note on its website.
“However, no refund procedures have been established by regulators or courts at this time,” the company said. “We will provide you with relevant information and updates in a timely manner. We appreciate your patience as we await further guidance and clarification from the U.S. government and courts.”
