US Judge Warns DOJ Appeal Could Upend Trump Tariff Refunds (1)

A US trade judge took the unusual step of personally responding to the Trump administration’s appeal of his order to refund $166 billion in tariffs the Supreme Court declared unlawful, calling the government’s filings “colorful” and questioning its legal stance.

In a letter made public on Wednesday, Judge Richard Eaton suggested that if the Justice Department succeeded in asking an appeals court to immediately intervene, it could have consequences for an online claims system that has been processing at least $85 billion in refunds so far.

The government contends that it set up the portal under its “own authorities,” distancing ...