12 US States Sue Trump Administration Over ‘Illegal Tariffs’
A coalition of 12 U.S. states has filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump’s administration, challenging the legality of sweeping tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York.
The attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont are seeking a court order to block the enforcement of the tariffs, which they argue were imposed without proper legal authority.
According to the suit, the Trump administration’s trade policy has been driven by presidential “whims” rather than a lawful exercise of authority. The complaint asserts that the use of executive orders, social media declarations, and agency directives to impose tariffs represents a breach of constitutional limits.
“The President can only invoke emergency powers under the law when there is an ‘unusual and extraordinary threat’ from abroad,” the lawsuit states. “By claiming unilateral authority to impose vast and fluctuating tariffs, the President has disrupted the constitutional balance of powers and inflicted serious harm on the U.S. economy.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James emphasized that Congress never granted the president such authority, calling the administration’s actions “a clear violation of the law.” She warned that continued enforcement of the tariffs would worsen inflation, increase unemployment, and cause lasting economic damage.
Echoing these concerns, New York Governor Kathy Hochul criticized the tariffs as “reckless,” saying they have led to skyrocketing consumer costs and widespread economic disruption.
The legal challenge follows Trump’s April 2 executive order, which invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to declare a national emergency and authorize the imposition of “reciprocal tariffs” on all U.S. trading partners. The move drew immediate backlash both domestically and internationally, contributing to sharp volatility in financial markets.
In response, White House spokesperson Kush Desai defended the administration’s actions, stating that it was “committed to addressing this national emergency that is decimating America’s industries and leaving our workers behind,” and would continue using “every tool at our disposal, from tariffs to negotiations.”
As legal proceedings unfold, the case is expected to test the limits of executive power in trade policy and could have far-reaching implications for future administrations.
