The US government has refunded $81 billion in tariff payments to businesses during the first nine months of fiscal year 2026, a sharp increase after the Supreme Court struck down many of President Donald Trump's additional import levies as unlawful in February.
The repayments represent a dramatic surge from the $5 billion returned in the same period a year earlier, with the bulk concentrated in May and June as customs authorities processed claims following the court's ruling that Trump had exceeded his authority. The refunds arrive as the federal budget deficit reached $1.367 trillion through the first three quarters of the fiscal year, up 2% from the prior year. Interest payments on the national debt surpassed $1 trillion, climbing 14%, while military outlays rose 5% amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The fiscal year began in October 2025, and the tariff reversals have compounded pressures on public finances already strained by elevated borrowing costs and defence spending.