25 States Sue Trump Over Global Tariffs
A coalition of 25 Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging President Trump's new 10% to 12.5% tariffs on 60 trading partners. State attorneys general argue the levies misuse forced-labor trade laws as an illegal workaround to replace emergency tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court.
25 states suing over forced-labor tariffs shows blue-state governors are using trade courts to dismantle Trump's protectionist agenda before import costs hit consumers.
Background Section 301 of the Trade Act allows presidents to sanction foreign countries for unfair trade practices after thorough formal investigations. After the Supreme Court invalidated broader emergency import taxes in February, the White House invoked forced-labor rules to impose fresh duties across 60 nations.
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Attorneys general from 25 states, led by California and New York, asked the U.S. Court of International Trade to declare the new tariffs unlawful and order full duty refunds.
The legal complaint alleges the administration rushed Section 301 investigations into 60 economies without proper country consultations, using forced-labor claims as a pretext to bypass court rulings.
White House spokesman Kush Desai defended the duties as a lawful measure to eliminate unfair trade practices and stop foreign supply chains reliant on forced labor.
State officials warned that the 10% to 12.5% import taxes on trading partners will inflate consumer prices for everyday goods and provoke foreign retaliatory tariffs on American exports.
Watch If the Court of International Trade grants an emergency injunction freezing duty collections, the White House will lose its main economic policy lever while trade refund claims mount.
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