He recorded his quest for tariff refunds. It shows why billions may never get repaid

NPR reports that following the Supreme Court's strike-down of most Trump-era tariffs, businesses like Richard Brown's are navigating a complex refund process, with experts warning that billions in owed refunds may never be recovered due to administrative and compliance barriers. The article is bylined by Alina Selyukh, an established NPR economics correspondent, and employs a narrative approach—following Brown's documentation efforts—to illustrate systemic obstacles in the refund mechanism. Corroborating coverage from PBS, The Hill, and Business Insider confirms both the timeline (first refunds expected around May 11) and the broader economic implications, with major corporations like Apple also pursuing refunds while smaller businesses face greater documentation and compliance challenges. Critical readers should monitor actual refund issuance beginning mid-May and track whether the promised volumes materialize, as well as watch for disparities in refund rates between large corporations and small businesses.