12 US States Sue Trump Administration Over Tariffs

By Staff, Agencies

A coalition of 12 US states has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in the US Court of International Trade in New York, seeking to halt what they describe as an unlawful tariff policy.

The Trump tariff lawsuit argues that the tariffs, implemented under the guise of national security, have caused significant disruption and economic damage, violating the limits of presidential power.

The plaintiffs — Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont — say that US President Donald Trump’s tariff measures were dictated by his “whims rather than the sound exercise of lawful authority.”

Central to the lawsuit is a challenge to Trump’s interpretation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act [IEEPA], which the administration used as justification for imposing tariffs.

The states argue that the Act only allows the president to act in the face of an "unusual and extraordinary threat" from abroad, a condition they claim is not met.

“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 upended the constitutional order and brought chaos to the American economy," the lawsuit states.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare the tariffs illegal and to prevent government agencies from enforcing them further, arguing that Congress has the sole authority to impose tariffs.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes called the policy “insane”, labeling it “not only economically reckless – it is illegal.” Connecticut Attorney General William Tong added that the tariffs are “a massive tax on Connecticut families and a disaster for Connecticut businesses and jobs.”

The economic consequences have been far-reaching, with states warning of lost revenues and job losses. The lawsuit underscores fears that arbitrary tariff decisions could undermine state economies.