Amazon Faces Class-Action Lawsuit Over Trump Tariff Price Hikes

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit after consumers accused the company of inflating product prices due to tariffs later ruled unlawful by the U.S. Supreme Court. The case, filed in Seattle federal court, claims Amazon collected hundreds of millions of dollars in added tariff-related costs from shoppers without attempting to recover those funds from the government.

The lawsuit centers on tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In a 6-3 ruling issued earlier this year, the Supreme Court determined Trump exceeded his executive authority by using the law to implement broad trade tariffs. Following the decision, thousands of businesses reportedly began pursuing refunds from the federal government for tariff payments.

According to the complaint, Amazon has chosen not to seek reimbursement, despite allegedly passing the higher import costs directly to consumers through increased prices on imported goods. Plaintiffs argue that ordinary consumers cannot legally request tariff refunds themselves, leaving retailers as the only possible target for financial recovery.

The lawsuit also alleges Amazon’s refusal to pursue refunds may be politically motivated. Court filings reference reports from April 2025 claiming Amazon considered displaying how much of a product’s price came from IEEPA tariffs. The reports triggered criticism from the White House and allegedly led to a direct phone call between Donald Trump and Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos.

Amazon later denied it planned to display tariff charges on product listings. However, plaintiffs argue the incident demonstrates the company’s desire to avoid conflict with the Trump administration by allowing the government to retain the disputed tariff revenue.

The legal complaint includes claims of unjust enrichment and violations of Washington state consumer protection laws. Amazon has not publicly commented on the ongoing litigation.

AMZN stock closed at $264.14, down 1.15%, with shares slipping further in after-hours trading.