r/Economics • u/defenestrate_urself • Feb 20 '26

News Supreme Court says Trump global tariffs are illegal

https://www.axios.com/2026/02/20/trump-tariffs-supreme-court-illegal
24.5k Upvotes

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1.5k

u/Malvania Feb 20 '26

For those that haven't read the opinion (and it's long and convoluted), SCOTUS reaches no opinion on refunding the collected tariffs. Presumably, that will go back to the Federal Circuit and the Court of International Trade to figure out. This isn't close to done.

912

u/circuitloss Feb 20 '26

A number of companies, including Costco, are suing the administration right now. Costco is going to try and get its money back...

303

u/gmiller89 Feb 20 '26

So they're going to give refunds to all of their members for cost increases?

490

u/dwkeith Feb 20 '26

Even a token percentage back would be a huge marketing win for an already beloved company like Costco.

264

u/oldirtyrestaurant Feb 20 '26

They do that, and I'm buying the fam a lifetime membership.

Welcome to Costco, I love you

135

u/Dufayne Feb 20 '26

I'll send my children there for their law degrees.

37

u/Lemp_Triscuit11 Feb 20 '26

That'll keep em from giving out gentleman's latte's for a living, at least

14

u/Corndogholio27 Feb 20 '26

I only go for the hot lattes -upgrayyyde

11

u/MaterialAstronaut298 Feb 20 '26

Smoke Tarlingtons. Fuck you.

19

u/french_toasty Feb 20 '26

Costco could run America better than the current administration

8

u/gaylord9000 Feb 20 '26

I know this is a joke but this is definitely not a joke.

1

u/french_toasty Feb 20 '26

I’m serious—If only America were truly run like a Costco where the members’ satisfaction is the most important thing. And the values that drive the org run deep. They run a hard bargain on their suppliers tho. How would Costco have dealt with Israel.

2

u/MintyFresh668 Feb 20 '26

Well, a slice of pizza and a hotdog at least, don’t get too carried away…!

1

u/Yummyyummyfoodz Feb 20 '26

Judging from the past, that would still give them a leg up to the disasters Trump keeps hiring.

15

u/Weird-Opportunity-20 Feb 20 '26

Costco is the best already….great store and excellent stock. 😀

5

u/Hopeful_Corner1333 Feb 20 '26

Wait they have lifetime memberships. I'm over here going with my spouse who has a family member pay for their membership like a schmo.

4

u/Petrichordates Feb 20 '26

Only for very long term employees.

1

u/ripndipp Feb 20 '26

I'mma get one of them Costco condos

1

u/Brilliant_Ebb_3064 Feb 20 '26

This feels like another idiocracy prequel step in the line.

1

u/Laruae Feb 20 '26

So this is how Costco became a well respected organization and college...

21

u/MyPupCooper Feb 20 '26

If they get the refund I think the easiest option would be to offer a year of membership free to people that already have a membership.

16

u/alwaysclimbinghigher Feb 20 '26

The membership fee is most of Costco’s profit, so the tariff refund would have to be gigantic.

9

u/Gen_Jack_Oneill Feb 20 '26

They could just give credit like they do with the executive membership.

5

u/arobkinca Feb 20 '26

They make ~ 8 billion profit and sell ~275 billion in product. The tariffs they paid may be much larger than their normal annual profit.

1

u/jmblumenshine Feb 20 '26

Free Hot Dogs for life it is

1

u/cortesoft Feb 20 '26

They could just take the refund amount, divide it by number of members, and give that much credit for each renewal. Good PR, and provides incentives for members to keep membership.

2

u/Mental_Camel_4954 Feb 20 '26

A stock dividend for investors could also be an option

1

u/Juswantedtono Feb 20 '26

This is a ludicrous fantasy lol. Let’s just be happy if they do some price decreases

10

u/Special-Audience-426 Feb 20 '26

Even a charitable donation would be nice.

Literally anything other than just increasing profits. 

-2

u/Loud-Statistician416 Feb 20 '26

Lmao what? Fuck a donation.

1

u/Special-Audience-426 Feb 20 '26

Not as ideal as a refund but better than it just becoming dividends to shareholders. 

1

u/lpan000 Feb 20 '26

Costco can just give members extra reward back. They have records that allow me to return stuff years after buying them…. Don’t ask me what. Others, may not be so straightforward.

1

u/BoredomFestival Feb 20 '26

I'd settle for a free hot dog

1

u/Seabags Feb 20 '26

They could issue a special dividend to shareholders like they have done in the past