Claim fact-check

The government did not collect $300 billion in revenue from tariffs that were imposed illegally on Americans.

95%
Model: Kimi K2.6 Checked on:
Verdict explanation
claim // 7bDYOoaT5c6xCPCHczrn
  • The Supreme Court ruled on February 20, 2026 that President Trump’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were unconstitutional, meaning they were illegally imposed12.
  • The government collected approximately $134 billion from these challenged tariffs as of mid-December 2025, and estimates of the total IEEPA tariff revenue collected range from about $166 billion to over $170 billion—well below $300 billion341.
  • The $300 billion figure was a projection by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in mid-2025 for potential total tariff revenue by year-end, not the actual amount collected from illegal tariffs56.
  • Total customs duties across all tariffs in calendar year 2025 reached $264 billion, which still falls short of $300 billion and includes legal pre-existing tariffs alongside the illegal IEEPA duties4.
  • Economic analyses show that American importers and consumers ultimately bore roughly 96% of the tariff costs, confirming the financial burden fell on Americans7.

Overall validity: 95%

  1. Supreme Court rules that Trump’s sweeping emergency tariffs are illegal | CNN Politics
  2. What the Supreme Court's tariff ruling changes, and what it doesn't | PIIE
  3. Sore Losers at the Supreme Court: The Government Doesn’t Want to Pay Back Unlawful Tariff Money After All | Cato at Liberty Blog
  4. Tracking the Impact of the Trump Tariffs & Trade War - Tax Foundation
  5. Bessent: Trump’s tariffs generate record revenue, could hit $1 trillion annually
  6. US could collect $300 billion in tariff revenue this year, Treasury chief says
  7. Americans Pay 96% of Trump’s Tariffs: Analysis | The Fiscal Times
Sources using this claim· 1 source