---
title: "The government did not collect $300 billion in revenue from tariffs that were imposed illegally on Americans."
claim_id: "7bDYOoaT5c6xCPCHczrn"
validity: 95
model: accounts/fireworks/models/kimi-k2p6
---

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

Verdict: 95%
Model: Kimi K2.6
Checked on: 16/06/2026

## Verdict explanation

- 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 imposed[^1][^2].
- 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 billion[^3][^4][^1].
- 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 tariffs[^5][^6].
- 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 duties[^4].
- Economic analyses show that American importers and consumers ultimately bore roughly 96% of the tariff costs, confirming the financial burden fell on Americans[^7].

**Overall validity**: 95%

[^1]:
    [Supreme Court rules that Trump’s sweeping emergency tariffs are illegal | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/20/politics/supreme-court-tariffs)

[^2]:
    [What the Supreme Court's tariff ruling changes, and what it doesn't | PIIE](https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2026/what-supreme-courts-tariff-ruling-changes-and-what-it-doesnt)

[^3]:
    [Sore Losers at the Supreme Court: The Government Doesn’t Want to Pay Back Unlawful Tariff Money After All | Cato at Liberty Blog](https://www.cato.org/blog/sore-losers-supreme-court-government-doesnt-want-pay-back-unlawful-tariff-money-after-all)

[^4]:
    [Tracking the Impact of the Trump Tariffs & Trade War - Tax Foundation](https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/trump-tariffs-trade-war)

[^5]:
    [Bessent: Trump’s tariffs generate record revenue, could hit $1 trillion annually](https://supplychainwarning.com/2026-01-12-bessent-president-trump-tariffs-generate-record-revenue.html)

[^6]:
    [US could collect $300 billion in tariff revenue this year, Treasury chief says](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-could-collect-300-billion-233511468.html)

[^7]:
    [Americans Pay 96% of Trump’s Tariffs: Analysis | The Fiscal Times](http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2026/01/20/Americans-Pay-96-Trumps-Tariffs-Analysis)

## Sources using this claim (1)

- [Let me get this straight. The government didn't even make $300B from tariffs that it illegally slapped on Americans and at $100/barrel, we're funding 3 billion barrels of crude money into Iran after bombing it.](/source/reddit:economy:1u6s7yw:let_me_get_this_straight_the_government_didnt) — 20% — 18 views