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The Indicator from Planet Money

Can I get my tariff money back now?

The Indicator from Planet Money

NPR

Business

4.79.5K Ratings

🗓️ 21 February 2026

⏱️ 9 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The Supreme Court struck down a bunch of President Trump’s tariffs yesterday. The Trump administration originally used an emergency economic powers law to justify the tariffs. And the court said: No! You can’t do that! Bad Trump, bad! This is despite the U.S. having raked in over a hundred billion dollars in import taxes already.

On today’s show, unpacking the Supreme Court’s blockbuster tariffs decision. What’s next for tariffs? And … are we getting tariff refunds? Asking for a friend.

Related episodes: 
Trump's backup options for tariffs
Tariffied! We check in on businesses
Are Trump's tariffs legal?
Worst. Tariffs. Ever. 

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez and Vito Emanuel. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

NPR.

0:11.7

Yesterday morning, the Supreme Court dropped an economic bombshell.

0:16.0

In a six to three decision, it struck down a huge portion of the tariffs President Trump imposed over the past year.

0:22.2

The court says the Trump administration has been relying on a law that doesn't actually give

0:27.0

him authority to levy tariffs. The Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs is deeply disappointing.

0:36.0

President Trump at a news conference yesterday.

0:38.2

And I'm ashamed of certain members of the court,

0:41.6

absolutely ashamed for not having the courage

0:44.6

to do what's right for our country.

0:46.9

This decision has big consequences for the economy.

0:50.1

So what happens next?

0:51.9

That is what we're talking about in this special bonus episode of The Indicator from Planet Money.

0:59.8

I'm Daryan Woods. And I'm Adrienne Ma. After the break, a trade lawyer will help us break down the court's decision.

1:06.3

And we'll talk with a small business owner about what he's hoping will happen next now that

1:10.9

tariff refunds might be on the table.

1:17.1

So can you tell me just how you're feeling this morning?

1:22.1

I appreciate you asking.

1:25.2

You know, I am feeling fine. To help us unpack the Supreme Court's

1:30.9

decision, we reached out to Ted Murphy. He's a lawyer for the law firm Sidley Austin, where he

1:36.6

specializes in global trade. Going to the decision, this big comes down for somebody like you.

1:41.0

Are you sort of like a kid on Christmas morning? And you're like, I can't wait to tear open the box and see what's inside. Yeah. Yeah. Although I guess I will say, I mean, yes,

1:49.7

while there is a little bit of that sort of opening a present on Christmas morning, reading the opinion,

...

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