On Tuesday, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) criticized Trump-era tariffs, saying a newly launched refund portal underscores what he called the lasting economic damage to small businesses already hit by higher import costs.
Chris Murphy Slams Trump Tariffs, Says Refund Portal Exposes 'Insane And Damaging' Costs Crushing Small Businesses
MarketDash
Sen. Chris Murphy criticized Trump-era tariffs, saying a new refund portal highlights the economic harm to small businesses and costly import burdens.
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Murphy Calls Tariff Refund Portal 'Cumbersome'
Murphy posted on X that the administration had opened what he described as a "cumbersome new portal" allowing small businesses to apply for reimbursement tied to tariffs he called "illegal."
He said, "It just exposes how insane and damaging his entire tariff obsession has been for our economy."
In a clip, Murphy argued the system forces small businesses to navigate extensive paperwork in hopes of recovering money paid through tariffs he said were later ruled unlawful.
"So the Trump administration just opened up this new portal whereby small businesses can file a ton of paperwork and maybe get paid some of the money back," Murphy said in the video.
He added, "The harm has already been done."
He said small importers were paying roughly $37,000 a month in added costs due to tariffs and claimed many businesses have already shut down because of the financial strain.
Murphy also said the policy failed to deliver its stated goal of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., arguing that job growth in the sector did not materialize as promised.
Trump Tariffs Spark Refund Push
On Monday, former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) criticized Trump-era tariffs, saying Americans were still facing financial strain and should receive refunds from $166 billion in collected duties.
She argued that tariff costs were being passed back to taxpayers and said promised benefits had not materialized.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer reportedly said Trump-era tariffs on Mexico would likely remain during upcoming U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) negotiations, signaling continued trade pressure despite renewed talks between the two countries.
At the same time, U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched a new online system allowing importers to claim refunds on certain tariffs ruled unconstitutional.
Businesses began filing claims through the CAPE portal, though eligibility was limited and processing could take up to 90 days.
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