A coalition of 12 U.S. states has filed a federal lawsuit challenging former President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff measures, arguing that the administration overstepped constitutional boundaries by bypassing Congress.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, leading the charge, slammed the tariffs as “economically reckless and illegal,” asserting that the president lacks the authority to unilaterally impose such levies. Arizona is joined in the lawsuit by Democratic-led states including Minnesota, New York, Oregon, and others. California had filed a similar legal challenge a week earlier.
The states’ lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York, contends that the 1977 law Trump cited to justify his emergency trade actions does not grant him the power to implement broad and arbitrary tariffs. That authority, the suit argues, rests solely with Congress under the Constitution.
“The President has upended the constitutional balance of power, imposing massive and unpredictable tariffs on any goods he chooses, under vague emergency declarations,” the complaint states.
California, in its separate filing, emphasized the disproportionate burden it bears due to its position as the largest U.S. importer. The state argues it faces outsized economic harm from the tariff regime.
Despite the legal pushback, Trump has defended the tariffs as a necessary step to restore U.S. manufacturing and curb trade imbalances. However, critics say the policy has backfired, raising costs for American consumers and businesses alike.
“Regardless of the administration’s rhetoric, tariffs are essentially a tax that Arizona families will end up paying,” Mayes said in a statement.
The legal challenge comes as Trump’s approval ratings continue to slip. According to The New York Times, his popularity has dipped to 44 percent just three months into his second term, as public concern grows over the economic consequences of his trade policies.
California Governor Gavin Newsom last week described Trump’s tariff agenda as “the worst own-goal in the history of this country,” accusing the administration of destabilizing markets and derailing long-standing free trade practices.
Under Trump’s aggressive trade stance, the U.S. has imposed a 145 percent tariff on Chinese imports, prompting a retaliatory 125 percent duty on American goods from Beijing. Additional 10 percent tariffs have been placed on other key trade partners, with warnings of further increases.
The states’ lawsuit also seeks a court order to block the global wave of reciprocal tariffs that was temporarily paused earlier this month.
