As writes Bloomberg agency, as of December 10, the U.S. customs authorities collected import duties from more than 301 thousand importers in respect of 34 million lots of goods imported into the country. According to the government report, by December 14, the budget received about $133 billion.
If the Supreme Court opposes the head of state, and business gets the right to return the funds, it will be “a disaster for national security”, Donald Trump commented on this situation. However, even if the tariffs are recognized as illegal, compensation will have to be sought through the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT).
The world’s largest chain of self-service stores Costco, eyeglasses manufacturer EssilorLuxottica, tire supplier Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co, as well as many other firms have filed lawsuits for the return of duties paid. They also include subsidiaries of major domestic and foreign firms such as U.S. aluminum producer Alcoa, Japanese auto parts retailers Yokohama and Kawasaki, sneaker makers Reebok and Puma, clothing maker Tommy John, camera maker GoPro, personal care products Schick and Playtex, cosmetics makers Revlon and Conair, and food producers Bumble Bee and Del Monte Fresh Produce.
“They’re all jumping on the foot of a train that’s leaving,” said John Vecchione, senior litigation counsel for the New Civil Liberties Alliance.
Eric Smithweiss, a trade lawyer who handles many of the new tariff cases, said some companies, especially those that are widely publicized, fear “political backlash” for leading the fight against the tariffs that went into effect in the spring.
Moldovan companies, especially alcoholic beverage producers, have also been affected by Trump’s duties.
For example, in the first nine months of 2025, exports of ethanol and alcoholic beverages to the U.S. totaled only $14.3 million, compared to $38 million in the same period in 2024. The decline in U.S. alcoholic beverage exports was particularly pronounced in the second quarter, when volumes more than halved, and in the third quarter, when shipments collapsed seven times compared to the same period in 2024.
