US States Sue Trump Over Tariffs

A coalition of 12 U.S. states filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York, seeking to halt the Trump administration’s tariff policies, which they argue are unlawful and have disrupted the national economy.

The states—Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont—contend that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority by imposing tariffs without congressional approval. The lawsuit asserts that the administration’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify the levies is an abuse of power.

Constitutional and Economic Concerns

The legal challenge argues that tariffs fall under Congress’s constitutional authority and that the president can only invoke emergency powers in response to an “unusual and extraordinary threat” from abroad. The lawsuit claims Trump’s approach has “upended the constitutional order and brought chaos to the American economy.”

“By claiming the authority to impose immense and ever-changing tariffs on whatever goods entering the United States he chooses, for whatever reason he finds convenient to declare an emergency, the President has exceeded his legal authority,” the filing states.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes called the tariff policy “insane,” adding that it was “not only economically reckless—it is illegal.” California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, previously sued the administration over the same issue, warning that the state—the nation’s largest importer—could lose billions in revenue.

White House Defends Policy

The White House dismissed the lawsuit, with spokesperson Kush Desai stating the administration remains committed to using “every tool at our disposal,” including tariffs, to address what it calls a national emergency threatening U.S. industries.

The legal battle centers on Trump’s use of the IEEPA, a 1970s law intended for emergencies, to impose sweeping tariffs on China, Mexico, Canada, and other trading partners. Congressional research indicates no prior administration has used the act to enact tariffs.

The dispute has escalated global trade tensions, particularly with China, where the U.S. imposed a 145% tariff on certain goods, sparking a standoff. Trump recently expressed hope for a resolution but defended the high tariffs as necessary.

This lawsuit marks the latest in a series of legal challenges to Trump’s trade policies, underscoring deepening divisions over executive power and economic strategy.