- Twelve U.S. states sued the Trump administration, calling its tariff strategy chaotic and legally questionable.
- The lawsuit claims only Congress has the power to impose tariffs, not the president under emergency declarations.
- States argue the tariff policy is damaging local economies, while the White House defends it as a necessary response to a national crisis.
So, it’s official — twelve U.S. states have filed a lawsuit to try and stop Trump’s tariff strategy in its tracks. The suit was dropped in the U.S. Court of International Trade, based out of New York, and yeah… they’re not holding back.
According to the filing, Donald Trump‘s tariff actions are, well, more about his personal instincts than about actual legal authority. The plaintiffs say this whole thing’s chaotic, unlawful, and just plain wrecking the economy.
A legal battle is brewing
The lawsuit pushes back against Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act — the same law he’s using to justify those steep import tariffs. The states are basically saying, “You can’t just call anything an emergency and start slapping on taxes.” What they want now is for the court to rule the tariffs illegal and stop the administration from enforcing them.
No word yet from the Justice Department. They didn’t get back with a comment.
Trump rolled out the latest wave of tariffs during a flashy Rose Garden speech back on April 2. Not long after that, the International Monetary Fund lowered its global economic forecast. Coincidence? Maybe not.
Who’s suing?
The dozen states taking legal action are Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont.
Arizona AG Kris Mayes didn’t mince words, calling the tariff plan “insane.” Connecticut’s Attorney General William Tong called it a “massive tax” hurting families and businesses alike.
Basically, they’re arguing that only Congress has the power to make tariff decisions. The president’s powers under emergency laws are supposed to be for, you know, actual emergencies — not just declaring one because it fits the political moment.
A constitutional mess?
The lawsuit says Trump’s approach is upending constitutional balance by letting one person decide which goods get taxed and when, with barely any oversight. That unpredictability? It’s throwing the economy into a tailspin, according to the complaint.
And this isn’t the only case on the board. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has also filed a separate suit in federal court, warning that his state — the biggest importer in the U.S. — could lose billions.
The White House, for its part, is holding the line. Spokesperson Kush Desai responded to Newsom’s lawsuit saying the administration is “committed to addressing this national emergency” and plans to use every tool available, from trade negotiations to tariffs.
