The US government just launched one of the largest repayment efforts in American history.
$166 BILLION in tariffs. Being refunded. Right now.
Yesterday, Customs & Border Protection quietly opened a portal called CAPE.
330,000 importers. 53 million shipments. All eligible to claw back duties paid under tariffs a court just ruled invalid.
And the money is already lined up.
56,497 companies registered before the portal even launched representing $127 billion in claims. 75% of the total. Before day one.
That's not anticipation. That's desperation.
First payouts hit mid-June. The 60-90 day clock started yesterday.
But here's the part that should make your blood boil.
The companies get their money back.
You don't.
Every consumer who paid higher prices on imported goods electronics, clothing, furniture, groceries absorbed those tariff costs silently through inflated price tags.
No portal for you. No refund timeline. No CAPE program with your name on it.
The system that passed the cost down to regular people has no mechanism to pass the money back.
And while the refunds are processing Trump has already reimposed a 10% global tariff under a different law entirely.
The carousel didn't stop.
It just changed horses.
$166 billion out. New tariffs in.
Same prices at checkout.