Trump Attacks Supreme Court Over IEEPA Tariff Ruling; Claims $165B in Refunds Owed

President Trump publicly denounced the Supreme Court's February 20, 2026 ruling that IEEPA does not authorize tariffs, directing criticism at Justices Barrett and Gorsuch who joined the 6-3 majority. Trump claimed the ruling had effectively obligated the government to issue $165 billion in tariff refunds to importers. The outburst created legal and market uncertainty about the administration's tariff path forward, as Section 122 tariffs (reimposed February 24) were already facing potential legal challenges. CNBC reported the episode added a new dimension of unpredictability to trade policy, with markets questioning whether the Section 122 regime was politically sustainable.