24 US States Sue Trump Administration Over New Global Tariffs
A coalition of 24 US states has filed a lawsuit against the administration of Donald Trump, aiming to block newly introduced global tariffs and arguing that the president is trying to bypass a recent Supreme Court ruling.
The lawsuit was submitted to the US Court of International Trade by attorneys general from 22 states along with the governors of Pennsylvania and Kentucky. The states claim the administration’s latest 10% tariff on imports is unlawful and should be halted.
The lawsuit comes shortly after the Supreme Court of the United States struck down many of Trump’s earlier tariffs that had been introduced under emergency economic powers. In response to that ruling, the White House introduced new duties under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows temporary tariffs of up to 15% for 150 days in certain circumstances.
But the states argue the law was never intended to address trade deficits and that the president is misusing it to keep his tariff policy in place. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said: “He's calling it a fix. It is not. It is the same illegal power-grab under a different statute than he used the last time.”
The lawsuit also claims the tariffs violate the US Constitution because Congress, not the president, holds the authority to impose broad import taxes.
New York Attorney General Letitia James accused the administration of ignoring both the court’s ruling and constitutional limits. “After the Supreme Court rejected his first attempt to impose sweeping tariffs, the president is causing more economic chaos and expecting Americans to foot the bill,” she said. “President Trump is ignoring the law and the Constitution to effectively raise taxes on consumers and small businesses.”
The tariffs currently sit at 10%, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said they could increase to 15% in the near future.
White House spokesman Kush Desai has defended the policy and said the administration would fight the lawsuit. “The President is using his authority granted by Congress to address fundamental international payments problems and to deal with our country’s large and serious balance-of-payments deficits,” Desai said. “The Administration will vigorously defend the President’s action in court.”
The case adds another layer of uncertainty around US trade policy. Thousands of businesses are already pursuing refunds for tariffs that were struck down by the Supreme Court, with courts ordering authorities to begin processing payments.
The states behind the latest lawsuit are asking the court to block the new tariffs entirely and to return any money already collected under the policy.
