The money was declared unlawfully collected. The courts ordered it back. The government built a portal to return it. And then the President went on television and called companies claiming it \u201cthe enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n
That is what happened Tuesday on CNBC\u2019s Squawk Box<\/em>, and it should be said plainly before the policy language buries it.<\/p>\n In February, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump<\/em><\/a> that the administration\u2019s IEEPA tariffs, imposed on nearly every U.S. trading partner starting in April 2025, were unlawful because Trump had exceeded his authority and stepped on Congress\u2019s power over tariffs. The Court of International Trade ordered refunds. On Monday, after two months building CAPE inside Customs and Border Protection\u2019s existing system, the government opened a portal to return about $166 billion in duties paid on more than 53 million shipments.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, the day after that portal opened, Trump told CNBC he was unhappy with the ruling. And then he went further.<\/p>\n Asked about reports that Apple and Amazon had not yet sought refunds \u2014 reportedly because they were worried about offending him \u2014 Trump said: \u201cIt\u2019s brilliant if they don\u2019t do that. If they don\u2019t do that, I\u2019ll remember them.\u201d<\/p>\n .@POTUS<\/a> on companies not requesting tariff refunds: \u201cI think it\u2019s brilliant if they don\u2019t do that\u2026 If they don\u2019t do that, I\u2019ll remember them, I will tell you that \u2014 because I\u2019m looking to make this country strong.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/r0rjWs5KCQ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Then came the other half of that statement. Companies that are pursuing refunds \u2014 companies filing for money courts ruled was illegally taken from them \u2014 Trump called \u201cthe enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn many cases, the enemy \u2014 the enemy \u2014 is getting this money,\u201d he said on live television. \u201cThe people that have hated the United States, we\u2019re giving them checks for billions of dollars. It\u2019s so sad to see.\u201d<\/p>\n No names. No specifics. Just the word \u201cenemy\u201d applied to American companies pursuing money that the courts ruled should be returned.<\/p>\n The companies Trump singled out for praise, Apple and Amazon, are not random names.<\/p>\n Trump underscored that warmth this week, saying Tim Cook had called him with a problem \u201conly I, as President, could fix\u201d and boasting that he later gave Cook \u201c3 or 4 BIG HELPS.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n In January, a 70-person White House screening of the Melania Trump documentary included Apple CEO Tim Cook and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy<\/a> among the guests. Amazon licensed the documentary for $40 million<\/a> after Melania Trump personally pitched Jeff Bezos and Lauren S\u00e1nchez. The Washington Post<\/em> also reported that Amazon spent an estimated $35 million on promotion, citing Puck. Trump separately praised Cook this week after Cook announced he was stepping down as Apple\u2019s CEO.<\/p>\n None of that is a crime.\u00a0<\/p>\n What it is, is a pattern. One of the companies in Trump\u2019s orbit helped bankroll his wife\u2019s documentary. Both had executives in his screening room. And both were the examples he praised \u2014 by name \u2014 on television for not claiming money courts say they are legally owed. The companies filing for refunds were \u201cthe enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n That is what presidential favor looks like in 2026. It does not require a paper trail. It just requires a public statement on CNBC and the understanding that the President is watching who files and who doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, we covered Trump\u2019s Easter remarks, where he said Americans who are not religious should be \u201ccast aside\u201d<\/a> \u2014 that some people simply would not be part of his vision of the country. The dividing line was faith. The loyalists were in. Everyone else was out.<\/p>\nHow $166 billion became a loyalty test<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Who got the praise \u2014 and what that tells you<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Amazon\"](\"https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Melania-2-1024x576.jpg\"\/ "\\"Amazon\\"")
![\"CEO\"](\"https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Melania-2-1024x576.jpg\" "\\"CEO\\"")
Same playbook, different target<\/strong><\/h2>\n