Rivian is suing the US government for ‘full reimbursement’ of Trump’s expenses

Rivian sued the US government in an attempt to recover “the full amount” of taxes it paid under President Trump’s “Independence Day” tax, which the Supreme Court later ruled unconstitutional.

The automaker joins a long line of companies seeking that return. In April, Rivian’s CFO Claire McDonough said she expected the company to stand to earn “tens of millions of dollars” in returns.

Rivian’s move comes as the company is in the midst of launching its first SUV in the mass market, the R2. It expects to ship about 20,000-25,000 of them later this year, and help the company finally reach profitability. Achieving that goal may not be possible until 2028, however, as Rivian is plowing a lot of money into developing autonomous vehicles for now. The company recently sold shares to raise about $1.3 billion to help pay off its current cash balance.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in US Trade Court, names the US government, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and its commissioner Rodney Scott as defendants. CBP collected the tariffs on behalf of the Trump administration, which it tried to justify under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

In a statement to TechCrunch, CBP said more than $121 billion in both potential and confirmed refunds have been received for processing. The agency did not comment directly on the case.

Earlier this month, the Cato Institute reported that $71 billion had been paid out, “suggesting that built-in conflicts” in the refund process have created “barriers to those seeking refunds.”

According to Rivian’s lawsuit, the company wants a guarantee that it will get its money – and the right price – from the government.

“Even if the Supreme Court invalidates the tariffs, this alternative action remains necessary because exporters who have paid IEEPA tariffs, including the plaintiffs, are not guaranteed a refund of the money previously paid based on the Supreme Court’s decision,” Rivian’s lawyers wrote in the complaint.

Rivian did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe told Reuters last year after the prices were set that he expected the cost of each car to rise by “several thousand dollars” as a result. By the end of 2025, he said the company has reduced the impact to “low hundreds of dollars.”

“A situation resulting from retaliatory trade or other practices or additional trade restrictions or barriers has harmed, and may continue to harm, our ability to obtain necessary raw materials, parts and equipment and may harm our ability to sell our products and services at prices that customers are willing to pay,” the company wrote in a regulatory filing earlier this year.

Rivian is asking the commercial court to declare the prices “unlawful,” issue refunds and interest, and pay any related court costs.