Coalition Challenges Legality of Fresh Tariff Policy
A coalition of 25 US states has moved the US Court of International Trade against the Donald Trump administration, challenging the legality of a fresh round of import tariffs imposed on goods from 60 trading partners. The states argue that the President exceeded his authority by introducing sweeping duties that affect nearly all major US imports and have urged the court to strike down the policy.
The lawsuit seeks to invalidate the tariffs, halt their implementation and direct the federal government to refund duties already collected from importers.
States Say Tariffs Will Increase Cost of Everyday Goods
According to the complaint, the new tariff structure imposes duties of 10 per cent or 12.5 per cent on imports from economies that together account for nearly all goods entering the United States. The coalition contends that the measures will ultimately increase prices for consumers and businesses by raising the cost of essential products.
The states also alleged that the administration relied on provisions of Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and concerns over forced labour as a legal justification to revive a tariff framework that had previously faced judicial setbacks.
New York, Oregon Lead Opposition
New York Governor Kathy Hochul criticised the tariff policy, saying it would place an unnecessary financial burden on families.
“President Trump’s illegal tariffs are nothing more than a tax on hardworking families, driving up the cost of groceries, household essentials, building materials, and countless everyday goods that New Yorkers rely on,” Hochul said.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said the coalition was taking legal action for the third time against Trump’s tariff measures.
“Today, we’re filing our third lawsuit against Trump’s illegal tariffs. Once again, the president is raising costs on everyday goods for Oregon families and small businesses, and once again, we’re leading a multistate coalition stepping up to stop him,” Rayfield wrote on X.
New York Attorney General Letitia James also criticised the move, stating, “After losing at the Supreme Court, the administration is once again trying to illegally raise taxes on families and businesses with a new round of tariffs.“
White House Defends Tariff Decision
The White House rejected the allegations made in the lawsuit, maintaining that tariffs imposed under Section 301 remain legally valid and have served as an effective trade policy tool since Trump’s first presidential term.
25 States Join the Legal Challenge
The lawsuit has been jointly filed by New York along with Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
The latest case is the second major legal challenge to the administration’s revised tariff policy, following an earlier lawsuit filed by a group of small businesses that also questioned the President’s authority to introduce the new import duties.
