'Not normal business': Judge orders Trump officials to explain tariff refund holdup

Source: Yahoo Finance

Tens of billions of dollars in tariff refunds have already gone out the door, but the Trump administration and the nation's top trade court are locked in a standoff over issues like the progress of the program and whether future payouts can be limited.

In a brusque May 27 filing, Judge Richard Eaton of the US Court of International Trade ordered a Trump official to appear next week to answer questions about the administration’s "compliance with the court's order."

The Trump administration has pushed back in its own filings and contested the required appearance by US Customs and Border Protection chief Rodney Scott, while also signaling it is likely to appeal Eaton’s contention that "all importers of record'' are entitled to refunds.

"That's not normal business," Erik Smithweiss, a partner focused on trade issues at the firm of GDLSK, said, noting that it’s unusual for a judge to order a specific official to appear.



Read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/policy/article/not-normal-business-judge-orders-trump-officials-to-explain-tariff-refund-holdup-153422434.html