A coalition of 25 U.S. states has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging a new round of tariffs imposed on approximately 60 trading partners. The legal action, filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, argues that the administration exceeded its legal authority by using Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to justify duties ranging from 10% to 12.5%. The states contend that these tariffs are a pretext for reviving previous trade measures that were already struck down by the Supreme Court or had expired earlier this year.
The administration announced the new levies on July 23, citing the failure of these trading partners to effectively enforce bans on goods produced with forced labor. However, the plaintiff states—led by officials including California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James—argue that the government failed to conduct meaningful investigations into these countries. They claim the broad nature of the tariffs defies the stated goal of the statute and serves only to increase costs for American families and businesses.
The lawsuit seeks to have the tariffs declared unlawful and requests that the court order refunds for duties already collected. The states involved represent a significant portion of the U.S. population and include Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
This marks the latest chapter in a prolonged legal battle over the president's trade agenda. Previous attempts to impose sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and other sections of the Trade Act were invalidated by federal courts. The administration maintains that it is acting within its lawful authority to address unfair trade practices and protect American commerce, and officials have signaled they will vigorously defend the policy in court.