Posted on 12/02/2025 10:39:35 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Multinational retail giant Costco has sued the US government to secure a full refund of import duties if the Supreme Court rejects President Donald Trump's authority to impose tariffs without congressional approval.
Costco's lawsuit urges the federal trade court to declare Trump's 'emergency' tariffs illegal, an authority the president says he has under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Two lower courts have already ruled that Trump exceeded his authority by using emergency powers to impose tariffs.
The case has now reached the Supreme Court, and several companies are trying to protect their rights to refunds should the justices strike down the tariffs.
In the lawsuit filed over the Thanksgiving holiday, Costco said its business had suffered because of the tariffs and was concerned it wouldn't get its money back even if the apex court upheld previous rulings.
Lawyers for Costco said a "separate action is necessary" as a refund is not guaranteed "in the absence of their own judgment and judicial relief".
The world's third-largest retailer didn't say how much it was seeking back but trade data from the US customs agency shows importers like Costco have already paid about $90 billion in IEEPA-related tariffs as of late September.
Costco brought the suit to the US Court of International Trade ahead of a 15 December 2025 deadline after which it would struggle to recoup any funds paid to the government.
In May, that court was the first to rule that Trump's tariffs were unlawful, a decision that has been subsequently affirmed by the US Court of Appeals.
At the hearing last month, Supreme Court judges appeared sceptical of the president's authority to impose the levies without congressional approval.
Trump administration lawyers have argued in court the emergency powers give the president the authority to impose the global tariffs.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Best reverse advertising ever. Morons.
COSTCO demonstrating its love for the CCP.
So Costco is full of overseas products?
As a Costco customer... and a long-term shareholder... I say that this sucks.
I get it that they want their cut of the $$ if the Trump tariffs lose at the SCOTUS, but sometimes you’ve got to put country ahead of your bottom line... or at least pretend that you are do so. The optics of this are terrible.
The only problem with this lawsuit I see is the simple PUBLISHED FACT that Costco doesn’t make a dime off the products they sello. It is the Yearly Membership fees they collect that is 90% plus of their Profits.
There was an article explaining this a few weeks ago.
Domestic importers who purchase overseas for subsequent importation into the U.S. are voluntarily stepping into the shoes of foreign exporters shipping goods into the U.S. for sale domestically.
The target of these tariffs are those foreign exporters seeking to exploit the U.S. domestic market.
There is no constitutional issue here! Tariffs are not taxes. Foreign exporters have no rights under COTUS and thus no standing to sue in U.S. Federal District Court.
They need to raise their hot dog prices.
I hate Costco anyway, they suck.
> So Costco is full of overseas products? <
Out of curiosity, I just looked it up. Something like 80% of Costco’s products are made overseas. I’m sure the number would be similar with Walmart and Target.
It’s a race to the bottom. And I really don’t blame the companies very much. Try to sell only American products, and your competitors will drive you into bankruptcy.
I blame Congress. High taxes and over-regulation have destroyed American industry.
My thoughts:
The money was put in the Treasury and can’t be taken out without an appropriation by Congress.
Trump’s emergency powers only go for five to six months at a time I believe.
Maybe so, but I'm betting most Freepers go to Costco quite often.
Why do Leftist who profit by the free enterprise capitalistic system have such contempt for the great country they do business in? Here’s another example of a liberal mindset where TDS may just destroy the company.
Capitalistic, heathen Commies.
You might say — if the tariffs are cancelled, it would cause massive chaos and financial difficulty.
And the Supreme Court might say — That’s not our problem. We decide based on the law and what happens after that is not our concern.
And so one might say — Obama was not a Natural Born Citizen and should not have been President, and Joe Biden stole the election in 2020 and he should also have not been president.
And the Supreme Court might say — Oh, would cause massive chaos and financial difficulty. We can’t go there. What’s done is done.
Tariffs are taxes imposed by the government of one country on goods or services imported from another country.
https://www.cbp.gov/trade/programs-administration/determining-duty-rates
My link is from under the Biden Administration. A “Duty”, is not a tax.
Good idea. Then every product Costco raised prices on can be returned to every customer who bought those products. Can’t have it both ways.
Good point Walmart is out selling COSTCO their sparkler show not working.
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