WASHINGTON — More than 1,000 companies have filed lawsuits in the Court of International Trade seeking repayment in billions of dollars in tariff monies paid to the government. Among the companies that filed are furniture makers Ashley Furniture, industry supplier Milwaukee Tool, and key retailers including Costco, Kohls and Staples.
The lawsuits followed a Supreme Court decision that struck down key aspects of President Trump’s tariff policies, opening the door for businesses to seek repayment of billions in tariffs. The tariffs were implemented under a 1977 law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which gives the president broad authority to regulate economic transactions during a national emergency.
It is not known how the tariffs already collected, which may total as much as $175 billion, will be distributed, if at all especially as the administration have stated that any refunds will be litigated through the courts with Trump saying he “guesses it has to get litigated for the next two years.”
The National Retail Federation (NRF) called for a “seamless process to refund the tariffs to U.S. importers,” according to a February 20, 2026, NRF press release. The NRF stated these refunds are crucial for economic growth and reinvestment, adding that the ruling provides “much-needed certainty” for businesses.
In a recent survey of Woodworking Network readers, nearly 58 percent of respondents said tariffs are raising the cost and/or availability of supplies and equipment. That has led 50 percent to raise prices or curtail business. More than 37 percent said the tariffs “have cost us significant revenue and profits already.”
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