Twenty-five U.S. states have filed a lawsuit challenging new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on goods from 60 trading partners. The tariffs, which range from 10% to 12.5%, were implemented in July and target countries including the UK, China, and the European Union.
The states, predominantly led by Democrats, contend in a legal filing that the tariffs are "arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law." New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated, "President Trump's illegal tariffs are nothing more than a tax on hardworking families." The coalition argues that the tariffs negatively impact American businesses and consumers.
The administration's stated rationale for the tariffs is to address what it calls the failure of these trading partners to properly tackle forced labor in their import practices. White House spokesman Kush Desai asserted that the U.S. is exercising its "lawful authority" to counter these practices, which he described as "unreasonable" and burdensome to American businesses.
According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the duties encompass 99.4% of U.S. imports. The imposition of these tariffs follows a pattern of trade policies enacted by the Trump administration. Notably, previous wide-ranging duties, referred to as "Liberation Day" tariffs, were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Governor Hochul referenced the Supreme Court's previous ruling, stating, "The Supreme Court has made it clear that this administration cannot ignore the law to impose sweeping tariffs." That earlier decision led to tens of billions of dollars in refunds for companies that had paid prior levies. The president has consistently maintained that tariffs are a tool to protect American workers and stimulate the U.S. economy.